ATTORNEY-GENERAL

Legal Costs

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Attorney-General how much the Law Officers' Departments spent on fees for legal work in (a) 2010-11 and (b) 2011-12; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Garnier: The information requested is contained in the following table:
	
		
			 £ 
			 Department 2010-11 2011-12 (1) 
			 Crown Prosecution Service 137,500,000 114,100,000 
			 Treasury Solicitors Department(2) 6,081.00 924.00 
			 Serious Fraud Office 4,454,679 4,665,918 
			 Attorney-General's Office 274,702 307,061 
			 HMCPSI 0 0 
			 (1) The data provided for 2010-11 may be subject to minor adjustment following the audit of departmental resource accounts for 2011 -12. (2 )The figures for the Treasury Solicitor's Department cover only legal work carried out for that Department and not costs associated with work TSol have carried out on behalf of other Government Departments.

HEALTH

Cancer

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether his Department has given consideration to introducing a personalised medicine approach for cancer treatment.

Paul Burstow: “Improving Outcomes: A Strategy for Cancer”, published on 12 January, set but a commitment to establish appropriate commissioning and funding structures for molecular diagnostic testing for cancer. Molecular diagnostic testing can identify which patients are most likely to respond positively to a specific treatment, allowing treatment to be targeted or ‘personalised’.
	From 2013-14, we expect to introduce a new national commissioning model for cancer molecular diagnostic tests. We will work closely with the NHS Commissioning Board to ensure these services are developed as an integral part of national commissioning.

Hospices

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much funding was received by each hospice his Department supported in (a) 2010-11 and (b) 2011-12; and if he will make a statement.

Anne Milton: The Department does not provide revenue funding to hospices that look after adults; that is the responsibility of local national health service commissioners.
	Capital funding, amounting to £442,832 in 2010-11 and £2,869,701 in 2011-12 was provided to Marie Curie Cancer Care to support the development of the Marie Curie hospice in Solihull. This funding was part of a £54 million capital fund for hospices originating in 2006-07.
	In addition to this, a further £39,906,158 capital funding was received by hospices from the Department in 2010-11. Table 1 shows which hospices received capital funding and how much was received. These include hospices for adults and some children's hospices (those providing services for the transition to adulthood). The total capital funds made available for hospices in 2010-11 was £40 million.
	In addition to the above, other funding has been provided to hospices under the Innovation, Excellence and Strategic Development (IESD) Fund and under the Social Enterprise Investment Fund (SEIF) for specific projects. £40,740 was received by St Francis Hospice and £33,423 was received by Sue Ryder Care Manorlands Hospice under the IESD Allocations. The funding received by hospices from the Social Enterprise Investment Fund is set out in Table 2.
	
		
			 Table 1: Capital grants allocated to hospices in 2010-11 
			 Organisation name Region Activity type Grant received (£) 
			 Ashgate Hospice East Midlands In-patient unit/Refurb 250,000 
			 Barnsley Hospice Yorkshire and the Humber Day care unit/Refurb 296,000 
			 Beaumond House Community Hospice East Midlands Information centre /Refurb 107,000 
			 Birmingham St. Mary's Hospice West Midlands Day care unit/Refurb 395,000 
			 Blythe House (High Peak Hospice Care) East Midlands Day care unit /New building 300,000 
			 Bolton Hospice North West Day care unit/Refurb 180,241 
			 Butterwick Hospice (Bishop Auckland) North East Day care unit/Refurb 400,000 
			 Chestnut Tree House Children's Hospice South East Coast In-patient unit/Refurb 65,057 
			 Compton Hospice West Midlands In-patient unit/Refurb 496,000 
			 Cornwall Hospice Care (Hayle) South West Therapy centre /New building 496,000 
			 Cotswold Care Hospice South West Day care unit/New building 237242 
			 Derian House Children's Hospice North West In-patient unit/Refurb 245,000 
			 Donna Louise Children's Hospice West Midlands Kitchen /Dining area /Refurb 146,939 
			 Dorothy House Hospice Care South West In-patient unit/Refurb 345,000 
			 Douglas Macmillan Hospice West Midlands In-patient unit /New building 500,000 
			 Dove House Hospice Yorkshire and the Humber Therapy centre /New building 550,000 
		
	
	
		
			 Dr Kershaw's Hospice North West In-patient unit/Refurb 204,488 
			 Earl Mountbatten Hospice South Central Day care unit/Refurb 495,000 
			 East Cheshire Hospice North West Day care unit /New building 550,000 
			 East Lancashire Hospice North West In-patient unit/Refurb 295,000 
			 Eden Valley Hospice North West Day care unit /New building 446,000 
			 EllenorLions Hospices South East Coast Day care unit/Refurb 495,000 
			 Fair Havens Hospice East of England In-patient unit/Refurb 146,961 
			 Farleigh Hospice East of England Therapy centre /New building 500,000 
			 Greenwich and Bexley Cottage Hospice London In-patient unit/Refurb 252,257 
			 Halton Haven Hospice North West In-patient unit/Refurb 346,000 
			 Harris HospisCare with St Christopher's London Day care unit/Refurb 95,747 
			 Hayward House Macmillan Specialist Palliative Cancer Care Unit East Midlands Reception /New building 396,000 
			 Heart of Kent Hospice South East Coast Day care unit/Refurb 350,000 
			 Helen and Douglas House Hospice Care South Central In-patient unit/Refurb 245,562 
			 Hospice Care for Burnley and Pendle North West Hospitality/Refurb 133,388 
			 Hospice in the Weald South East Coast In-patient unit/Refurb 75,000 
			 Hospice of St Francis East of England Day care unit/Refurb 138,000 
			 Hospice of St Mary of Furness North West Bathroom /Refurb 263,317 
			 Hospiscare—Exeter South West Day care unit/Refurb 463,459 
			 Isabel Hospice East of England Kitchen /Dining area /Refurb 50,000 
			 Katharine House Hospice (Banbury) South Central In-patient unit/New building 395,000 
			 Katharine House Hospice (Stafford) West Midlands Day care unit/Refurb 180,939 
			 Keech Hospice Care East of England Day care unit/Refurb 200,000 
			 Kirkwood Hospice Yorkshire and the Humber Day care unit/Refurb 77,613 
			 Lindsey Lodge Hospice Yorkshire and the Humber Hospitality/Refurb 280,000 
			 LOROS Leicestershire and Rutland Hospice East Midlands Hospitality/Refurb 29,370 
			 Marie Curie Cancer Care Hampstead London Hospitality/Refurb 120,440 
			 Marie Curie Cancer Care Liverpool North West Reception/Refurb 197,249 
			 Marie Curie Cancer Care Newcastle-upon-Tyne North East Chapel /Refurb 43,850 
			 Martin House Yorkshire and the Humber Reception /New building 238,640 
			 Martlets Hospice South East Coast In-patient unit/Refurb 498,718 
			 Mary Ann Evans Hospice West Midlands Day care unit/Refurb 32,226 
			 Mary Stevens Hospice West Midlands In-patient unit/Refurb 127,492 
			 Meadow House Hospice London Therapy centre /New building 300,000 
			 North London Hospice London Day care unit /New building 750,000 
			 North London Hospice London In-patient unit/Refurb 196,317 
			 Nottinghamshire Hospice East Midlands Day care unit/Refurb 924,116 
			 Oakhaven Hospice South Central In-patient unit /New building 396,000 
			 Overgate Hospice Yorkshire and the Humber Day care unit/Refurb 396,000 
			 Peace Hospice East of England Therapy centre/Refurb 467,879 
			 Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice South East Coast Reception/Refurb 199,984 
			 Pilgrims Hospice Ashford South East Coast Reception/Refurb 210,514 
			 Pilgrims Hospice Margate South East Coast In-patient unit/New building 394,984 
			 Primrose Hospice and Cancer Help Centre West Midlands Therapy centre /New building 716,000 
			 Princess Alice Hospice South East Coast In-patient unit/Refurb 34,095 
			 Prospect Hospice South West Kitchen /Dining area /Refurb 600,000 
			 Queenscourt Hospice North West In-patient unit/Refurb 450,000 
			 Rossendale Hospice North West Day care unit/Refurb 37,000 
			 Rotherham Hospice Yorkshire and the Humber In-patient unit/Refurb 200;000 
			 Rowcroft—Torbay and S Devon Hospice South West Therapy centre/Refurb 139,500 
			 Salisbury Hospice South West In-patient unit/Refurb 48,000 
			 Severn Hospice West Midlands Day care unit/Refurb 83,274 
			 Springhill Hospice North West In-patient unit/Refurb 500,000 
			 St Andrew's Children's Hospice Yorkshire and the Humber Therapy centre/Refurb 43,100 
			 St Andrew's Hospice (Grimsby) Yorkshire and the Humber Therapy centre/Refurb 193,580 
			 St Ann's Hospice (Worsley) North West In-patient unit/Refurb 600,000 
			 St Barnabas Hospices Worthing South East Coast Reception/New building 240,000 
			 St Barnabas Lincolnshire Hospice (GIFTS Hospice) East Midlands Day care unit/Refurb 800,000 
			 St Catherine's Hospice (Preston) North West Reception /New building 233,112 
			 St Catherine's Hospice (Scarborough) Yorkshire and the Humber Conservatory /New building 130,140 
			 St Christopher's Hospice London In-patient unit/Refurb 445,289 
			 St Clare Hospice (Harlow) East of England In-patient unit/Refurb 396,000 
		
	
	
		
			 St Clare's Hospice (Jarrow) North East In-patient unit/Refurb 585,308 
			 St Cuthbert's Hospice North East Grounds /Landscapinq 246,000 
			 St Elizabeth Hospice Ipswich East of England In-patient unit/Refurb 496,000 
			 St Francis Hospice (Romford) London Bathroom /Refurb 346,000 
			 St Gemma's Hospice Leeds Yorkshire and the Humber In-patient unit/Refurb 396,000 
			 St Giles Hospice Lichfield West Midlands Therapy centre/Refurb 545,000 
			 St Helena Hospice Colchester East of England Day care unit/Refurb 495,000 
			 St John's Hospice (Lancaster) North West Hospitality/Refurb 291,002 
			 St John's Hospice (London) London In-patient unit/Refurb 600,000 
			 St John's Hospice (Wirral) North West In-patient unit/New building 500,000 
			 St Joseph's Hospice (London) London Viewing room/Refurb 546,000 
			 St Joseph's Hospice Association Liverpool North West In-patient unit/Refurb 600,000 
			 St Leonard's Hospice York Yorkshire and the Humber Bathroom /Refurb 161,889 
			 St Luke's Hospice (Basildon) East of England Therapy centre/Refurb 25,080 
			 St Luke's Hospice (Cheshire) North West Reception /New building 246,000 
			 St Luke's Hospice (Harrow) London Reception/Refurb 277,217 
			 St Luke's Hospice (Plymouth) South West In-patient unit/Refurb 496,000 
			 St Margaret's Somerset Hospice Taunton South West Grounds /Landscaping 249,163 
			 St Michael's Hospice (Harrogate) Yorkshire and the Humber In-patient unit/Refurb 296,000 
			 St Michael's Hospice (Hastings) South East. Coast Therapy centre/Refurb 53,960 
			 St Michael's Hospice (North Hampshire) South Central In-patient unit/Refurb 281,960 
			 St Nicholas Hospice Care East of England Grounds /Landscaping 156,730 
			 St Oswald's Hospice Newcastle North East In-patient unit/Refurb 496,000 
			 St Peter and St James Hospice Lewes South East Coast In-patient unit /New building 600,000 
			 St Peter's Hospice (Bristol) South West Grounds /Landscaping 316,000 
			 St Raphael's Hospice Sutton London Bathroom /Refurb 500,000 
			 St Richard's Hospice Worcester West Midlands Therapy centre /New building 600,000 
			 St Rocco's Hospice Warrington North West Grounds/Landscaping 200,000 
			 St Teresa's Hospice Darlington North East Day care unit/Refurb . 194,219 
			 St Wilfrid's Hospice (Chichester) South East Coast In-patient unit/Refurb 79,384 
			 St Wilfrid's Hospice (Eastbourne) South East Coast In-patient unit/Refurb 44,700 
			 Sue Ryder Care Manorlands (Keighley) Yorkshire and the Humber In-patient unit/Refurb 554,565 
			 Sue Ryder Care St John's (Bedford) East of England Day care unit/Refurb 588,550 
			 Sue Ryder Care Wheatfields (Leeds) Yorkshire and the Humber Day care unit/Refurb 485,700 
			 Sussex Beacon South East Coast In-patient unit/Refurb 66,060 
			 The Rowans Hospice South Central Reception /New building 346,000 
			 Treetops Hospice East Midlands Day care unit /New building 300,000 
			 Wakefield Hospice Yorkshire and the Humber In-patient unit/Refurb 463,859 
			 Walsall Hospice West Midlands In-patient unit/New building 499,369 
			 Warwick Myton Hospice West Midlands In-patient unit/Refurb 200,000 
			 Weldmar Hospicecare Trust Dorchester South West Day care unit/Refurb 446,000 
			 Weston Hospicecare South West Reception/Refurb 465,000 
			 Wigan and Leigh Hospice North West In-patient unit/Refurb 185,125 
			 Willowbrook Hospice North West Therapy centre /New building 663,025 
			 Woodlands Hospice North West Therapy centre/Refurb 225,214 
			 Total   39,906,158 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 2: Organisations receiving from the Social Enterprise Investment Fund (SEIF) 
			 £ 
			 Organisation 2010-11 SEIF 2011-12 SEIF 
			 Birmingham St Mary's Hospice 175,346 — 
			 Cornwall Hospice Care 154,980 — 
			 Dame Hannah Rogers Trust 410,000 — 
			 Donna Louise Trust (The) 81,053 — 
			 East Cheshire Hospice 450,000 — 
			 John Taylor Hospice 355,380 915,113 
			 Norfolk Hospice (The) 106,463 — 
			 St Catherine's Hospice (Lancashire) Ltd 273,900 150,000 
			 St Joseph's Hospice Association 128,000 — 
			 St Oswald's Hospice Ltd 450,750 — 
			 Trinity Hospice 130,000 — 
			  
		
	
	Note:
	The data above comprise only those organisations that are known to be hospices because the service category “hospice” is not identified separately in the SEIF. The table does not therefore include other organisations providing hospice care that may have been funded.
	The Department does however provide revenue funding for children's hospices. The hospices listed in Table 3 received funding from the Department's £10 million recurrent annual children's hospice and hospice-at-home grant in the years 2010-11 and 2011-12. Revenue funding may also come from NHS commissioners.
	Children's hospices and the wider children's palliative care sector received a further one-off non-recurrent grant of £19 million in 2010-11 to support local projects. A total of £30 million was available for this grant. The £19 million claimed was on top of the annual recurrent funding of £10 million, to which we are committed until a transparent and fair per patient funding system is established in 2015. Details of the non-recurrent expenditure are available at:
	www.dh.gov.uk/health/2012/04/update-on-funding/
	For 2012-13, we are providing the same annual revenue grant of £10 million to the hospices listed in Table 3 and have made a further £720,000 available to new services from this April, which is more than we committed the Government to in the coalition agreement, ‘The Coalition: our programme for government’.
	Two hospice groups that support children, the Donna Louise Trust and St Oswald's Hospices Ltd also received allocations from the SEIF in 2010-11 (Table 2 above).
	This information about children's hospice services corrects the answers given to the hon. Member on 16 January 2012, Official Report, columns 524-6W, and 13 March 2012, Official Report, column 188W, and to my hon. Friend the Member for Great Yarmouth (Brandon Lewis) on 20 February 2012, Official Report, column 689W, which I regret were incomplete.
	
		
			 Table 3: Children's Hospice and Hospice-at-Home Grant 
			 Hospice 2010-11 Grant (£) 2011-12 Grant (£) 
			 Acorns—Selly Oak 374,415 374,167 
			 Acorns—Walsall 370,560 370,312 
			 Acorns—Worcester 358,400 358,152 
			 Bluebell Wood Children's Hospice 161,250 161,002 
			 Brian House Children's Hospice 190,550 190,302 
			 Butterwick House 191,100 190,852 
			 CHASE (Children's Hospice Association South East) 411,130 410,882 
			 Chestnut Tree House 225,647 225,399 
			 Children's Hospice South West—Charlton Farm 280,644 280,396 
			 Children's Hospice South West—Little Bridge House 342,000 341,752 
			 Claire House Children's Hospice 353,554 353,306 
			 Demelza Community—East Sussex 125,124 124,876 
			 Demelza House—Sittingbourne 505,173 504,925 
			 Derian House Children's Hospice 187,000 186,752 
			 Donna Louise Children's Hospice Trust 255,346 255,098 
			 East Anglia’s Children's Hospices —Ipswich 225,238 224,990 
			 East Anglia's Children's Hospices—Milton 275,729 275,481 
		
	
	
		
			 East Anglia’s Children's Hospices—Quidenham 248,344 248,096 
			 Eden House Children's Hospice 212,623 212,375 
			 chYps/EllenorLions—Shining Lights 140,000 139,752 
			 Francis House 380,705 380,457 
			 Haven House Children's Hospice 200,000 199,752 
			 Helen and Douglas House 273,000 272,752 
			 Hope House Children's Hospice 300,000 299,752 
			 Iain Rennie Grove House Hospice Care 84,000 83,752 
			 James Hopkins Trust 55,000 54,752 
			 Jessie May Trust 67,000 66,752 
			 Julia's House 88,513 88,265 
			 Keech Hospice Care 290,043 289,795 
			 Little Havens 354,089 353,841 
			 Martin House 270,816 270,568 
			 Naomi House Children's Hospice (Wessex) 359,207 358,959 
			 Rainbow's Hospice for Children and Young People 322,465 322,217 
			 Richard House Children's Hospice 330,017 329,769 
			 Shooting Star 213,237 212,989 
			 St Andrew's Children Hospice 245,000 244,752 
			 St Oswald's Children's Services 195,000 194,752 
			 The Children's Trust, Tadworth 148,000 147,752 
			 Zoe's Place Baby Hospice—Liverpool 200,000 199,752 
			 Zoe's Place Baby Hospice—Middlesbrough 200,000 199,752 
			 Total 10,009,919 9,999,999

Hospitals

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Health for what reasons hospitals are charged for re-admitting patients within 30 days when they are re-admitted in respect of a second unrelated illness.

Simon Burns: The Department's policy of non payment for some emergency readmissions does not operate at the level of individual admissions. Instead trusts and their commissioners agree a threshold for acceptable levels of readmission, based on clinical reviews of past readmissions, . with payment for readmissions. above this level being withheld.
	Readmissions which are unrelated to the original admission will therefore have been taken, into account when setting the threshold. The aim of the policy is to generate funds which can be used to tackle the causes of preventable readmissions with both commissioners and providers being incentivised to improve post discharge care.

Occupational Health

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to publish his response to the report Health at Work by Dame Carol Black and David Frost; and what steps he is taking to implement the recommendations of that report.

Chris Grayling: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions.
	The Department for Work and Pensions is leading on the Government response to the Independent review into sickness absence, with input from other Government Departments and the devolved Administrations. These are complex issues and we will need to take time to consider the recommendations fully; the response will be published later this year.

Prescription Drugs: Shortages

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 25 April 2012, Official Report, column 914W, on prescription drugs: shortages, when he expects to make a decision on whether to undertake a one-off survey of shortages of medicines at local pharmacies.

Simon Burns: We are cautious about placing additional data return burdens on pharmacists but we are considering, with stakeholders, taking forward a one-off survey. The timing of the decision on any survey will depend on a number of factors.

NORTHERN IRELAND

HMS Caroline

Stephen Pound: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Defence on the future use of HMS Caroline.

Hugo Swire: I have discussed the future of HMS Caroline with the Minister for the Armed Forces, the hon. Member for North Devon (Nick Harvey). I have also held discussions about HMS Caroline with the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Investment, and offered my support to the Executive's plans to safeguard its future in Belfast.

PRIME MINISTER

Ministers: Codes of Practice

George Howarth: To ask the Prime Minister what advice he has received on whether the actions of Adam Smith, the special adviser to the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport, have led to a breach of the Ministerial Code; and if he will place a copy of any such advice in the Library.

David Cameron: I refer the right hon. Member to the answers I gave to the right hon. Member for Doncaster North (Edward Miliband) on 25 April 2012, Official Report, column 945.

Official Visits: Japan

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Prime Minister what the names and companies are of those who accompanied him on his recent visit to Japan.

David Cameron: I have placed a list in the Libraries of both Houses.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

British Sky Broadcasting: News Corporation

George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what guidance was issued to his special adviser Adam Smith on his role as a point of contact between his Department and BSkyB and NewsCorp; whether such guidance included how those responsibilities should be conducted; what feedback he received from Adam Smith on his ongoing briefing of NewsCorp and BSkyB on their proposed merger; and if he will place in the Library a copy of any such guidance and feedback.

Jeremy Hunt: The permanent secretary approved the approach his Department took to the quasi-judicial process which included a small number of people acting as contact points with News Corp, as is required and normal in such a process. He has stated clearly he was aware and content with Adam Smith being one of those points of contact.
	Both the permanent secretary and I have been clear that the nature and extent of contacts between Adam Smith and News Corp was unauthorised and went too far. This has been confirmed by Adam Smith in his resignation statement.

British Sky Broadcasting: News Corporation

George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what advice he has received on whether the actions of Adam Smith as an approved point of contact for his Department with NewsCorp in relation to the proposed merger between BSkyB and NewsCorp was in breach of the Ministerial code; and if he will place a copy of any such advice in the Library.

Jeremy Hunt: It is the role of the independent adviser of Ministers' Interests to judge whether a breach of the Ministerial Code has taken place. The Prime Minister has indicated that he will consider whether the matter should be referred to the independent adviser, following my appearance at Lord Justice Leveson's Inquiry.

British Sky Broadcasting: News Corporation

George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport pursuant to the answers of 25 April 2012, Official Report, columns 963-8, to the hon. Members for Manchester Central, Bradford South and Halton, if he will place in the Library a copy of all of the papers in relation to the appointment of his special adviser, Adam Smith, as a point of contact between his Department and News Corporation on the proposed merger between BSkyB and News Corporation.

Jeremy Hunt: I am in the process of preparing my evidence for the Leveson Inquiry, which will include all relevant information held by me and my Department relating to News Corporation's bid for BskyB. I anticipate that as much of this evidence as possible will be published, although this is a matter for the inquiry itself.

British Sky Broadcasting: News Corporation

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport if he will place in the Library a copy of all correspondence and records of meetings between him and Paul Maley since May 2010.

Jeremy Hunt: There have been no meetings or correspondence between Paul Maley and myself.

British Sky Broadcasting: News Corporation

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport on what dates Ministers in his Department have met Paul Maley since May 2010; and if he will make a statement.

Jeremy Hunt: There have been no meetings between Paul Maley and Ministers in my Department.

British Sky Broadcasting: News Corporation

Natascha Engel: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport pursuant to his response to the hon. Member for Camberwell and Peckham of 25 April 2012, Official Report, column 957, on the Leveson Inquiry, whether information about the contents of the statement he gave to the House on 25 January 2011 were given to (a) Frederic Michel and (b) News Corps; and if he will place in the Library a copy of any records in relation to this matter.

Jeremy Hunt: Adam Smith said in his resignation statement that while it was part of his role to keep News Corporation informed throughout the BskyB bid process, the content and extent of his contact was done without authorisation from me.
	I am in the process of preparing my evidence for the Leveson Inquiry, which will include all relevant information held by me and my Department relating to News Corporation's bid for BskyB. I anticipate that as much of this evidence as possible will be published, although this is a matter for the Inquiry itself.
	Some of the evidence given to the Inquiry and set out in Exhibit KRM1-8 is unsubstantiated and provides only part of the picture.
	I am keen to give my side of the story, and will do so when I provide oral evidence.

Data Protection

Jonathan Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport whether his Department is taking steps to inform the public about the proposed EU Data Protection Regulation.

Kenneth Clarke: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Ministry of Justice.
	I will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

Gambling: Licensing

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what representations he has received on the effects of Gambling Commission investigation practices on small business licence holders.

John Penrose: I have been informed by the British Amusement Catering Trade Association (BACTA) of concerns it has raised with the Gambling Commission about its investigation practices under section 116 of the Gambling Act 2005. The Gambling Commission is investigating the complaint under its established procedures, details of which can be found at:
	http://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/gh-contact_us/complaints/complain_the_commission.aspx

Public Appointments

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport which staff in his Department have been appointed to external positions by his Department since May 2010; and to which organisations they have been appointed.

John Penrose: holding answer 30 April 2012
	The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) does not directly appoint staff to external positions.
	Approval can be given for staff to be released on secondment or loan to other Government Departments or arm's length bodies.
	The Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport, my right hon. Friend the Member for South West Surrey (Mr Hunt), is responsible for making appointments to the Boards of DCMS Public Bodies. These appointments are regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. No serving member of the Department has been appointed to the Board of a DCMS Public Body since May 2010.

TRANSPORT

Catering

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much her Department spent on complimentary refreshments for (a) staff and (b) visitors in the latest period for which figures are available.

Norman Baker: As expenditure on refreshments is not recorded separately from wider hospitality costs, I regret that spend in this area can only by obtained at disproportionate cost.
	The Department's policy is not to provide refreshments for staff for internal meetings or working lunches. Refreshments for meetings with external visitors are provided exceptionally, and only with the approval of senior managers.

Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when she plans to (a) undertake and (b) publish an impact assessment on the proposed closure of DVLA offices; what methodology will be employed to assess how any changes will affect (i) elderly users, (ii) other users and (iii) the staff delivering the service; and if she will make a statement.

Michael Penning: Work on an impact assessment is underway. It will be published as decisions about the next steps are taken. The impact assessment of this non-regulatory change will be carried out in accordance with the appropriate elements of the official government guidance on impact assessments and is being developed using the responses to the recent consultation exercise as well as relevant data and statistics and meetings with key stakeholders. Equality assessments are also being completed to understand the impacts on specific user groups.

High Speed 2 Railway Line

Andrea Leadsom: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer given to the hon. Member for Birmingham Yardley of 8 November 2010, Official Report, columns 110-11W, what the cost to the public purse was in 2011-12 to develop her Department’s High Speed Two proposals; and whether this affected the estimates for (a) 2012-13 and (b) 2013-14.

Justine Greening: holding answer 23 April 2012
	The cost to the public purse of developing the High Speed 2 proposals was £34.3 million in 2011-12. This includes HS2 Ltd and Department for Transport spend on the development of phases 1 and 2 of the project.
	The total set out over the spending review period remains the same, but the profile of spending may change over time.

High Speed 2 Railway Line

Dan Byles: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the Chief Engineer for HS2 Ltd Professor Andrew McNaughton was outlining Government policy in his recent iRail 2012 Distinguished Lecture, Designing High Speed Rail for Britain at the Derby College Roundhouse, when he predicted (a) up to 30 trains per hour on HS2 in the future and (b) additional acceleration lines alongside those tracks already planned at the Birmingham Interchange Station to allow future HS2 trains to get up to speed before joining the main track; and if she will make a statement.

Justine Greening: Government policy on the capacity and line of route of the new high speed railway was set out in my decisions in January. For the avoidance of doubt, I expect the network to be capable of accommodating 14 trains per hour initially, rising to 18 trains per hour with the opening of the second phase of the network to Leeds and Manchester. Where intermediate stations such as Birmingham Interchange are included on the high speed route, it is necessary to include deceleration and acceleration tracks to minimise the effect of stopping trains on non-stopping services. The design for the Birmingham Interchange area has not changed since public consultation in 2011.

High Speed 2 Railway Line

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much her Department plans to spend on the High Speed 2 project in 2012-13; and how much of this expenditure will be allocated to consultancy fees.

Justine Greening: The planned spend in developing High Speed 2 in 2012-13 is £167.4 million. As part of undertaking the Environmental Impact Assessment for Phase I of the route, HS2 Ltd will be procuring services from specialist firms (e.g. engineering and environmental design). The planned spend in 2012-13 in these activities, which are classified as technical consultancy, is approximately £135 million.

High Speed 2 Railway Line

Steven Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the contribution of her predecessor to the Transport Committee, Oral Evidence, HC 1185, Q 554, on high speed rail, whether it remains her Department's policy to place the High Speed 2 scheme under close scrutiny in the event that the estimated benefit to cost ratio falls below 1.5; and if she will make a statement.

Justine Greening: holding answer 30 April 2012
	Appraisal of the High Speed 2 scheme will continue to be carried out in a rigorous manner in accordance with the Department's well-established WebTag guidance. The BCR forms only part of the decision-making process alongside the wider business case, including strategic, commercial, financial and management cases. I shall continue to scrutinise all aspects of the project carefully, as I would any scheme of this scale and importance.

Railways: Fares

Paul Maynard: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the maximum increase in regulated fares was in each year between 2005 and 2010; and which franchise implemented the fare increase in each such case.

Justine Greening: For most operators the average cap for regulated fares increased by RPI+1% in each year between 2005 and 2010.
	For west Yorkshire, this cap has increased by RPI+3% each year since 2007. For southeastern, the cap increased by RPI+3% each year from 2007 to 2010.
	From 2005 to 2009, train operators were permitted to increase individual regulated fares by up to 5% above the average cap on regulated fares as long as the average increase across their basket of fares is no more than the average cumulative cap; with the exception of 2010 when this flexibility was temporarily suspended for one year.
	The following table illustrates the maximum permitted increase in individual regulated fares for all operators apart from west Yorkshire and southeastern.
	
		
			 Fares year Maximum permitted increase (Percentage) 
			 2005 9.0 
			 2006 8.9 
			 2007 9.3 
			 2008 9.8 
			 2009 11.0 
			 2010 (1)0 
			 (1) The maximum permitted increase for most fares was -0.4% in this year, though some lower priced fares were allowed to remain unchanged rather than decrease, thus in practice the overall maximum permitted increase was 0%. 
		
	
	The Department does not hold the information about which franchises implemented the fare increase in each such case.

Railways: Franchises

Craig Whittaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport with reference to her proposal not to expand open access competition, what mechanism she plans to put in place to offer services on rail lines where franchised service operators traditionally do not wish to operate but open access providers do; and if she will make a statement.

Theresa Villiers: Future franchise specifications will allow franchised operators greater flexibility to develop their services to meet customer demand, which could include introducing franchised services on routes where they have not previously operated.

Railways: Tickets

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which train operating companies have made requests to (a) close and (b) reduce opening hours at station ticket offices in the latest period for which figures are available; and in respect of which stations such applications have been made.

Norman Baker: holding answer 30 April 2012
	It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Road Traffic

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent estimate her Department has made of the level of congestion on the roads in Shipley constituency.

Norman Baker: Estimates of congestion for Parliamentary Constituencies (as measured by average morning speeds) are not held centrally.
	Quarterly estimates of congestion for local authorities are available on the Department for Transport website at:
	http://assets.dft.gov.uk/statistics/tables/cgn0206.xls

Roads: Lighting

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what advice she has issued to local highway authorities on the potential benefits of making greater utilisation of traffic activated traffic lights rather than those set on a time sequence, especially during non-peak hours; and if she will make a statement.

Norman Baker: The Department has issued guidance to highway authorities on traffic signals and pedestrian facilities at traffic signal installations. Guidance is contained in Traffic Advisory Leaflets TAL 1/06 (published 2006) and TAL 5/05 (published 2005), both of which are available on our website at:
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/publications/tal/
	It is for the individual highway authority to decide on the use of traffic lights on their roads, depending on the circumstances of each case. In Britain, most isolated traffic signals are usually vehicle actuated.

Transport for London: Finance

Jackie Doyle-Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what powers she has to review her Department's funding agreement for the current Spending Review period with Transport for London (TfL) if TfL's commitments are not met; what assessment she has made of any potential requirement for additional funding for TfL to meet such commitments; and if she will make a statement.

Theresa Villiers: TfL's spending review settlement, agreed between the Secretary of State for Transport, my right hon. Friend the Member for Putney (Justine Greening) and the Mayor in 2010, is based on a shared commitment to the tube upgrades. A copy of the funding agreement letter is available on the Department's website at:
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/publications/hammond-20101020/
	The Secretary of State for Transport can review the Mayor of London's SR10 settlement at any time in response to relevant considerations.
	The funding agreement letter records confirmation from the Mayor that the SR10 settlement will allow him to deliver the schemes listed at annex B to the milestones specified. The Government does not therefore anticipate additional funding being made available to TfL for these commitments.

Transport: Dorset

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether any of the funding allocated to Dorset local enterprise partnership will be used for the purpose of improving transport infrastructure.

Norman Baker: The main capital funding that is distributed to all Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) is the Growing Places Fund, which aims to address infrastructure constraints, promote economic growth and the delivery of jobs and houses. The Dorset LEP has been allocated a total of £9,639,201. Decisions on the funding of individual projects is for each LEP to determine based on their own assessment of what will best achieve the fund's objectives in their local area.

Travel

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many journeys (a) Ministers and (b) officials from her Department made by (i) train, (ii) coach and (iii) Government car in an official capacity in each of the last six months.

Justine Greening: The Department for Transport does not hold records of journey numbers and does not record rail travel by Ministers and officials separately. The total number of rail tickets bought from main suppliers by the central Department are contained in the following table. The figures contain both single and return tickets.
	
		
			  DfT(c) 
			 October 2011 803 
			 November 2011 893 
			 December 2011 593 
			 January 2012 702 
			 February 2012 745 
			 March 2012 834 
			 Total 4570 
		
	
	By way of comparison, the equivalent figures for DfT(c) in the six months October 2009 to March 2010 were:
	
		
			  DfT(c) 
			 October 2009 1140 
			 November 2009 1187 
			 December 2009 799 
			 January 2010 853 
			 February 2010 1106 
		
	
	
		
			 March 2010 1206 
			 Total 6291 
		
	
	The last six months therefore show a 27% reduction in the number of rail tickets purchased compared to a similar period under the previous administration.
	The Department does not record coach travel separately.
	The Department currently has two cars and individual journeys are not recorded. In 2009-10 under the previous administration the Department had three allocated cars.

Vacancies

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many job vacancies there were for (a) staff posts and (b) senior Civil Service posts in her Department on 31 March (i) 2010, (ii) 2011 and (iii) 2012; and if she will make a statement.

Norman Baker: The following table provides a breakdown of the recruitment for each of the years requested.
	
		
			 Financial year (a) Posts advertised to 31 March (b) Senior Civil Service posts advertised to 31 March 
			 (i) 2009-2010 582 18 
			 (ii) 2010-2011 400 0 
			 (iii) 2011-2012 1,085 17 
		
	
	The numbers in this table for 2009-2010 show posts advertised across the Civil Service and externally as they were not recorded separately. The posts advertised externally for 2010-11 and 2011-12 have been separated and are shown in the table below.
	
		
			 Financial year (a) External Non SCS Posts advertised to 31 March (b) External Senior Civil Service posts advertised to 31 March 
			 (ii) 2010-2011 19 3 
			 (iii) 2011-2012 73 9 
		
	
	The increase in recruitment activity (largely appointments made from within the civil service) in 2011-12 is both: i) to manage the turnover of staff, and ii) to reflect the impact of departmental restructuring and change programmes that have required particular skills and/or locations to be considered, for example in DfT(C) and VOSA. Fixed Term Appointments have also been used as a strategy to manage a changing workforce e.g. in MCA ahead of the Coastguard restructure.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Animal Welfare: Circuses

Fiona O'Donnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she plans to meet the named consultees in the consultation on the introduction of a licensing regime for the use of wild animals in circuses.

James Paice: Ministers and officials will continue to meet and discuss the development of policy in this area with interested parties, having already met the majority of the organisations listed in the consultation document.

British Waterways

Tristram Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the overall cost was of performance-related pay (PRP) for staff with PRP in their contracts at British Waterways in the latest period for which figures are available.

Richard Benyon: For the financial year 2010 to 2011, the overall cost of performance-related pay for staff with PRP in their contracts at British Waterways (directors and senior managers) was £371,118.

British Waterways

Tristram Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the average percentage change in total remuneration, including Performance Related Pay was for (a) directors, (b) the lowest paid member of staff and (c) the median salaried member of staff at British Waterways in the latest period for which figures are available.

Richard Benyon: Bonuses were paid in July 2011 and relate to this financial year 2011 to 2012. However, the payments were in respect of performance for 2010 to 2011.
	For the financial year 2010 to 2011, the average percentage change in total remuneration (including performance related pay) was 3.43% for directors, 2.23% for the lowest paid member of staff and 1.15% for the median salaried member of staff at British Waterways.

British Waterways

Tristram Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the average performance related pay (PRP) received by (a) the chief executive, (b) directors and (c) staff with PRP in their contracts at British Waterways was in the latest period for which figures are available.

Richard Benyon: Bonuses were paid in July 2011 and relate to this financial year 2011 to 2012. However, the payments were in respect of performance for 2010 to 2011.
	For the financial year 2010 to 2011, the chief executive at British Waterways received £15,000 performance related pay.
	For the financial year 2010 to 2011, on an average per director the directors received £12,500 and on an average per senior manager staff with PRP in their contracts (senior managers) received £2,919.

Dairy Farming

Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will consider bringing forward legislative proposals on the introduction of compulsory minimum terms in dairy farmers' milk contracts.

James Paice: DEFRA officials are now working closely with their colleagues in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland to implement the EU Dairy Package in a timely and comprehensive way across the UK. The package allows member states to decide if contracts should be introduced on a compulsory basis within their own territory. There will be a DEFRA-led consultation later this year to seek views from across the industry. It is anticipated that the necessary UK legislation will be in force by spring 2013.
	However, the UK Government favours the introduction of a Voluntary Code of Practice (vCOP) on contractual negotiations. The industry is actively discussing the introduction of such a code, which would allow milk producers and processors to deal with issues more appropriately and quickly than the EU legislative model.

Dangerous Dogs

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she expects to make a policy statement on dangerous dogs; whether she plans to introduce a new offence under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 of an attack by a dog on (a) another dog or (b) on another animal; and if she will make a statement.

James Paice: I am pleased to say that on 23 April Government announced a consultation on measures to tackle irresponsible dog owners. These measures include extending the existing dangerous dogs law to cover all private property in England and that all puppies are compulsorily microchipped. Attacks by dogs on other dogs as well as on other animals could be dealt with under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 or the Animal Welfare Act 2006, depending on the individual circumstances of the case.

Departmental Responsibilities

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how often she expects to receive reports and representations from the Rural and Farming Network; and what steps she has taken to ensure they are representative of all regions.

Richard Benyon: The Rural and Farming Network (RFN) consists of 17 networks across England providing full coverage of all the English regions. There is an expectation that Ministers will meet the RFN Chairs at least once or twice per year. The first Annual Meeting of RFN Chairs and Ministers took place on 17 April. In addition, DEFRA Ministers are proactively seeking meetings with the locally based RFN Chairs alongside their wider ministerial engagements. To date, DEFRA Ministers have met nine of the 17 representatives within their localities with further meetings being planned.
	There is no formal reporting requirement placed upon RFN Chairs into DEFRA. However, RFN Chairs are able to set their own agendas and bring in representatives when they meet Ministers covering national and local priorities. In addition, a direct route of communication (telephone and email) is being established between RFN Chairs and DEFRA Ministers to enable them to alert Ministers to the impacts of important issues of local concern.

Diesel Fuel

Daniel Poulter: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what steps she is taking to increase the supply of ultra low sulphur red diesel for off-road equipment;
	(2)  what assessment she has made of the availability of ultra low sulphur red diesel for off-road equipment.

James Paice: It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

Dogs

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether she plans to review the legislation relating to (a) the breeding of dogs, (b) irresponsible behaviour of dog owners and (c) other areas of policy.

James Paice: I am pleased to say that on 23 April Government announced a consultation on measures to tackle irresponsible dog owners. These measures include extending the existing dangerous dogs law to cover all private property in England and that all puppies are compulsorily microchipped. The existing laws relating to the breeding of dogs provide the necessary powers to protect the welfare of dogs at dog breeding establishments. However, we will consider any recommendations made by the independent Dog Advisory Council.

Dogs

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 23 April 2012, Official Report, on tackling irresponsible dog ownership, what estimate her Department has made of the likely savings on kennelling costs by police forces as a result of her plans to tackle irresponsible dog ownership.

James Paice: We have estimated that our proposal, to allow the police to decide for themselves whether a suspected prohibited type dog can remain with its owners for the duration of the court case, will save the police around £490,000 per year in kennelling costs. The proposal to extend the criminal law of allowing a dog to be dangerously out of control to all places is estimated to cost an additional £1.9 million in police kennelling costs in the first year. But we expect the number of people prosecuted for allowing a dog to be dangerously out of control will drop over subsequent years and that this figure will be more like £1.1 million per year. However, the overall aim of the proposals is to reduce the number of dog attacks which if successful will make savings to the health service in having to deal with injuries to people.

Dogs

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what timetable her Department has set for progress on its irresponsible dog ownership consultation after it closes on 15 June 2012.

James Paice: To set out a timetable at this stage, before having assessed the responses to the consultation, would be premature.

Dogs

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of dog control orders under the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005 in promoting responsible dog ownership and tackling dangerous dogs.

James Paice: Last year the Home Office carried out a review of antisocial behaviour measures. Following this, we plan to subsume Dog Control Orders within new proposed antisocial behaviour measures.

Dogs

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps her Department is taking to ensure that dog control orders under the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005 are consistently consulted on and implemented in different parts of the country.

James Paice: All local authorities have been provided with guidance explaining the procedure for making and implementing Dog Control Orders. If anyone has any concerns with the way a particular Dog Control Order has been introduced or implemented, they should report it to the relevant authority.

Droughts

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she is taking to help prevent future droughts in the UK.

Richard Benyon: Droughts are natural events which cannot be prevented and are planned for in water company drought plans, as required by law.
	While we cannot prevent future droughts in the UK ensuring we have enough water this summer is vital and this is why we have held a number of drought summits and established the National Drought Management Group to co-ordinate national action. Following the drought summit, water companies in drought or at high risk of drought have agreed to: try and reduce water losses and increase leakage detection; and engage and communicate with their customers to help them understand the current position and encourage them to use water wisely.
	Water companies are already joining up their sources of supply to help them move water to the areas of greatest need and build resilience. Interconnections, such as the United Utilities West-East link, build flexibility into our water supply network and reduce the costs of meeting future demand. Interconnection will have an increasingly important role in building resilience and preparing for longer term water resource challenges. Water must remain affordable for all. Large scale infrastructure investment is expensive, and water is heavy, difficult and costly to move. Relatively local connections are likely to be the best options, incrementally building a wider and more integrated network.
	New options to transfer water such the scheme from Severn Trent to Anglian Water to improve resilience to drought are currently under development. The Government, Ofwat and the Environment Agency are taking action to ensure that options for trading and transfer of water are taken forward where they are sustainable and cost-effective for customers
	The Water White Paper, ‘Water for Life’, set out plans for ensuring the water sector is well prepared for a future with less certain water resources.

Elephants: Conservation

Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if her Department will oppose any proposals for the down-listing of elephant protection within CITES.

Richard Benyon: We will oppose any down-listing proposal which includes ivory sales, as we have seen no unequivocal evidence that such sales will reduce poaching.

E-mail

John Denham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her policy is on the period for which emails sent and received by (a) Ministers, (b) officials, and (c) special advisers in her Department are retained; and whether such emails are recoverable from the IT systems in her Department after that period.

Richard Benyon: E-mail policy in DEFRA states that e-mail messages which form part of the official record are saved for as long as business needs require and stored corporately in accordance with departmental record management procedures (specific retention periods exist for all official records and are set depending on the nature of the material). This policy covers all use of DEFRA’s e-mail system and therefore covers Ministers, officials and special advisers. DEFRA’s guidance on e-mail management emphasises the importance of capturing all significant e-mail messages.
	Once deleted, e-mails are recoverable for six weeks.

Fisheries

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she plans to take to tackle electric beam trawling by foreign fishing vessels within the 12 nautical miles UK coastal zone.

Richard Benyon: Currently EU technical conservation rules prohibit a number of unconventional fishing methods, including the use of electric current. A derogation was introduced in 2009 to permit this method in a defined area of the North sea applying specifically to beam trawling. Dutch beam trawlers work with the electrical pulse method under tightly defined restrictions limiting the effective voltage in accordance with this derogation.
	However, Dutch beam trawlers do not have access for beam trawling within the UK’s 12 nautical mile zone under the relevant common fisheries policy arrangements. Their access is for fishing herring, which is not fished using electric beam trawling. I am not aware that vessels from any other member state use this method of fishing.

Floods

Tony Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what progress her Department has made on discussions with the insurance industry on the future of flood insurance following the expiry of the Statement of Principles; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  if her Department will commit to ensuring an agreement with the insurance industry on the future of flood insurance by 30 June 2012;
	(3)  what principles her Department is using to assess the suitability of models proposed to ensure the availability and affordability of flood insurance following the expiry of the Statement of Principles; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Benyon: The existing Statement of Principles is due to expire on 30 June 2013 and insurers do not want to renew it on the basis that it distorts the market and is poorly understood. A new shared understanding is being developed that sets out more clearly what individual customers can expect from their insurer, and the Government. It will reflect the continued responsibility and commitment of both the Government and insurers to make sure insurance for flooding remains widely available.
	We are also considering the case for additional measures to help safeguard the affordability of flood insurance for those groups who might struggle most with premium increases. We are looking at whether there are feasible, value for money ways of targeting funds to provide support to those that need it most, in a manner which does not create perverse incentives or distort the insurance market. We will provide a further update on this shortly.

Food: Charitable Donations

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will introduce legislative proposals based on the US Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act 1996 to protect from civil and criminal liability food donors and recipient agencies where food had been donated in good faith.

James Paice: The Government strongly supports redistribution of surplus food to charities such as FareShare and FoodCycle and hopes that more firms will choose to donate suitable surplus food rather than send it for disposal. Many do so already, though only a fraction of the available food is currently donated.
	We are considering all barriers to redistribution, including legal concerns. This examination will determine the way forward, and we will need to work with charities and food manufacturers to lower any barriers identified.
	The Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, my noble Friend, Lord Taylor of Holbeach, also recently wrote to my noble Friend, Lord Young of Graffham, to consider how health and safety can be reviewed to help facilitate this.

Forestry

Therese Coffey: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs with reference to the Government response to the report by the Forestry Regulation Task Force on the role of the Gangmasters Licensing Authority (GLA), what plans she has to remove the forestry sector from the scope of the GLA.

James Paice: The Red Tape Challenge has endorsed the need for the GLA to enforce protections for vulnerable workers in its sectors. However, the process also suggested that more can be done to improve the operation of the GLA and reduce burdens on those who are compliant. Ongoing work in this area is looking at these issues in more detail, and will consider evidence from a range of sources, including the recommendations in the report of the Forestry Regulation Task Force.

Game: Gun Sports

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what consideration she has given to introducing a licensing system for game shooting; and if she will make a statement.

James Paice: Game licences have not been required in England and Wales since 2007 and there are no plans to re-introduce them.

Halal Meat: Labelling

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the extent to which Halal products are sold without being labelled as such in (a) supermarkets and (b) restaurants and cafes.

James Paice: There is no legislative requirement for products to be labelled as Halal, so no formal attempt has been made to collect data on the extent to which Halal products are sold without being labelled as such. In principle we support the need for accurate information for consumers, but there are real practical difficulties in establishing traceability to identity method of slaughter to the point of consumption.

Halal Meat: Labelling

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions she has had on the compulsory labelling of halal products.

James Paice: I met with members of the food and food processing industries in early 2011 to discuss method of slaughter labelling. We are currently reviewing the way the welfare of animals is protected during religious slaughter as we make preparations to implement EU Regulation 1099/2009 on the protection of animals at the time of killing, from 1 January 2013. Meetings with members of the Jewish and Muslim communities took place during 2011 and the early part of 2012 in this context.
	In principle we support the need for accurate information for consumers but there are real practical difficulties in establishing traceability to identify method of slaughter for all meat and meat products from the point of slaughter to the point of consumption. An amendment to require food labels to indicate whether an animal has been stunned before slaughter was proposed last year by the European Parliament in the context of proposals for an EU Food Information for Consumers Regulation. This proposal was not taken up but, in subsequent discussions, a compromise agreement was reached which highlighted the importance of this issue. This proposed that the issue should be considered by the EU Commission in a welfare context as part of the anticipated discussion on the EU welfare strategy. The Commission has recently published a communication on the Strategy for the Protection and Welfare of Animals 2012-15 which confirms the Commission will be studying labelling as provided for in the agreement reached on the Food Information for Consumers Regulation. We look forward to early consideration of the Commission's proposals.

Horse Racing: Animal Welfare

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she has had with the British Horseracing Authority on a ban on the use of the whip; and if she will make a statement.

James Paice: I have not held any direct discussions with the British Horseracing Authority in relation to such a proposal. I consider that the BHA rules, together with existing animal welfare legislation, provide adequate protection for the welfare of racehorses.

Intellectual Property

Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether her Department has a role in intellectual property policy development.

Richard Benyon: The overall policy lead for intellectual property is held by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills via the Intellectual Property Office. Many Government Departments have an interest in intellectual property, and the policy making process, including collective ministerial consideration of proposals, reflects those interests. My Department has many interests in this area, and works closely with the Intellectual Property Office.

Legal Costs

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much her Department spent on fees for legal work in (a) 2010-11 and (b) 2011-12; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Benyon: The amount the Department spent on fees for legal work in (a) 2010-11 and (b) 2011-12 is given in the following table.
	These amounts are the total payments to external solicitors and barristers for legal services, excluding Parliamentary Counsel, Treasury Solicitors and the Crown Prosecution Service. The figures include some fees for legal work for the Department's arm’s length bodies and it would be disproportionately costly to identify and remove these.
	
		
			 £ 
			  Financial year 
			  2010-11 2011-12 
			 Legal fees paid 655,757 1,347,987

Meat: Prices

Ian Paisley Jnr: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she is taking to counter the recent rise in meat prices.

James Paice: No steps have been taken to counter the recent rise in meat prices. The rise in prices reflects the market. DEFRA routinely monitors trends in the affordability of food, looking at both domestic retail food price inflation (as measured by the consumer price index) and changes in the factors that drive domestic retail food price inflation.

Meat: Prices

Ian Paisley Jnr: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of a potential correlation between the recent rises in theft of meat in some supermarkets and the recent rise in meat prices.

James Paice: We have made no assessment of this. We therefore cannot say whether high retail meat prices are causing increased thefts of meat.

Members: Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she plans to reply to the letter from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton of 14 March 2012 with regard to Mr O. Mayo.

Richard Benyon: I replied to the letter of 14 March from the hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton on 27 March. I will send a copy of my reply to the hon. Member.

Ministerial Meetings

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether (a) Ministers and (b) officials in her Department have had any meetings with (i) Simon Hoare, (ii) CGMS, (iii) Freshwater UK, (iv) Intermodality LLP, (v) BNP Paribas Real Estate, (vi) Helio Europe and (vii) Bircham Dyson Bell LLP since May 2010; and whether she has received any recent representations from each such individual or organisation since May 2010.

Richard Benyon: No Ministers or senior officials in core DEFRA Permanent Secretary and Directors-General) have had any meetings with any of these individuals or organisations mentioned. Meetings held by the Permanent Secretary and Ministers with external organisations are published quarterly on the DEFRA website at:
	http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/about/who/ministers/transparency/
	and
	http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/about/who/management/

Ministerial Meetings

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether (a) Ministers and (b) officials in her Department have had any discussions on (i) the Helioslough Radlett rail freight exchange proposal and (ii) other rail freight issues since May 2010; and whether they have received any representations on these issues since May 2010.

Richard Benyon: No Ministers or senior officials in core DEFRA (Permanent Secretary and Directors-General) have had any such discussions. Meetings held by the Permanent Secretary and Ministers with external organisations are published quarterly on the DEFRA website at:
	http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/about/who/ministers/transparency/
	and
	http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/about/who/management/

Natural Gas: Exploration

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions she has had on the (a) possible effect of fracking on local water supplies and (b) potential effect of current or future drought restrictions on the viability of shale gas extraction; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Benyon: Lord Taylor of Holbeach, Parliamentary-Under Secretary of State, met with officials from the Environment Agency on 24 April 2012 to discuss various aspects of the development of unconventional gas in England and Wales, including the possible effects on water supplies.
	The Environment Agency is currently undertaking a detailed environmental assessment of shale gas extraction in order to be able to regulate appropriately to protect the environment, including water resources. This will include an assessment of the effects that hydraulic fracturing may have on water resources. The assessment should show if there are water availability constraints that could have implications for future shale gas operations.
	All hydraulic fracturing operations for shale gas are currently suspended pending consideration of the seismic events in Lancashire in April and May 2011. Should hydraulic fracturing resume, the Environment Agency will only authorise additional water abstraction when there is water available and there are no risks to the rights of existing abstraction licence holders. It has powers to impose appropriate restrictions where these are justified. Applications for abstraction for hydraulic fracturing would be treated in the same way as any other applications.

Official Secrets

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether any person employed by (a) her Department, (b) the agencies and non-departmental public bodies for which her Department is responsible and (c) any private firms contracted by her Department is bound by any part of the Official Secrets Act.

Richard Benyon: All Crown Servants and Government contractors (as defined by Sections 12(1) and 12(2) of the Official Secrets Act 1989) are subject to the requirements of the Official Secrets Act. Upon joining the Department, all staff are made aware that they are bound by the terms of the Official Secrets Act and that their actions resulting in unauthorised disclosure of official information may result in legal proceedings being taken against them.

Pesticides

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the effect of neonicotinoids and other nerve-agent pesticides on bee colonies.

Richard Benyon: Honeybee health is influenced by a number of factors, particularly pests and pathogens, environmental impacts, bee husbandry, nutrition and the weather. Government scientists have assessed published research reports with an open mind and continue to rigorously consider the implications of any new published information on neonicotinoid insecticides and fipronil (a similar active substance, but with a different mode of action). We are currently considering two studies published on 29 March.
	The European Commission has asked the independent European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) for a scientific assessment on whether the dose rates used in two recently published studies are comparable to the actual doses to which bees are exposed, based on the EU approval and on the authorisations granted by member states. EFSA is also producing a scientific opinion on the EU bee regulatory risk assessment and will produce a new guidance document on the bee risk assessment for member states to follow in authorising pesticide products.
	The body of evidence assessed to date does not scientifically support a change to the conditions of authorisation for neonicotinoid insecticides in the UK. We are keeping this under active review, and will not hesitate to take action if the available evidence shows the need.

Pesticides

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether her Department has undertaken any research on the effect of nerve-agent pesticides on (a) UK food production, (b) global food production and (c) bee colonies (i) in the UK, (ii) across Europe and (iii) globally.

Richard Benyon: As part of its pesticides research programme, the Government continues to fund a number of projects in support of the development of the pesticides risk assessment process. Some of these specifically relate to the potential impact of pesticides on honeybees and other non-target arthropods, and are still in progress. Previous work on the risk posed to honeybees by systemic insecticides, such as imidacloprid, has fed into the international risk assessment models for honeybees being developed.
	No specific work has been undertaken on the effect of neonicotinoid pesticides on food production. Neonicotinoid insecticides prevent damage to important food crops such as cereals, oilseed rape, brassicas and sugar beet from pests such as aphids. Use of neonicotinoid seed treatments provides an alternative mode of action to organophosphate and pyrethroid insecticides and plays a key role helping to prevent the build up of resistance in the pests concerned.

Poultry: Animal Welfare

Sheryll Murray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions she has had on ensuring cross-EU compliance with the welfare of laying hens directive.

James Paice: The Commission has done what it said it would do and has taken robust action to deal with the large-scale non-compliance across the EU with the conventional cage ban. In addition to writing formal infraction letters to all non-compliant member states, it is reviewing member states' action plans on a monthly basis in the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health, most recently on 4-5 April.
	We continue to discuss compliance with the conventional cage ban with member states and the Commission at every opportunity. We wish to see the rest of Europe come into compliance as swiftly as possible.

Poultry: Animal Welfare

Sheryll Murray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what information her Department holds on the proportion of laying hens which have not been removed from conventional battery cages in (a) Austria, (b) Belgium, (c) Bulgaria, (d) Cyprus, (e) the Czech Republic, (f) Denmark, (g) Estonia, (h) Finland, (i) France, (j) Germany, (k) Greece, (l) Hungary, (m) Ireland, (n) Italy, (o) Latvia, (p) Lithuania, (q) Luxembourg, (r) Malta, (s) the Netherlands, (t) Poland, (u) Portugal, (v) Romania, (w) Slovakia, (x) Slovenia, (y) Spain and (z) Sweden.

James Paice: The European Commission holds the data on the level of compliance in the 12 EU member states which still have hens in conventional cages. The Commission has not released this information, but it has been reported that there are around 47 million hens still in these cages.

Procurement

Michael Dugher: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much her Department spent on procurement from small and medium-sized enterprises in (a) the fourth quarter of 2010-11, (b) the first quarter of 2011-12 and (c) the second quarter of 2011-12.

Richard Benyon: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Retirement

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many (a) civil servants and (b) senior civil servants have retired from her Department since May 2010; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Benyon: 167 civil servants, including 24 senior civil servants, retired from core DEFRA between 1 May 2010 and 18 April 2012.
	The figures include members of staff who left the Department for the following reasons:
	Normal age-related retirement;
	Actuarially reduced retirement;
	Retirement on grounds of ill-health;
	Voluntary exit scheme with receipt of pension.

Set-aside Schemes

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for what reason her Department's Campaign for the Farmed Environment has been extended until December 2012.

James Paice: The short extension to the Campaign for the Farmed Environment, from July 2012, which I have agreed (with the partner organisations) will ensure that current momentum is maintained, local delivery mechanisms are not dismantled and farmers can continue to demonstrate the capability to deliver good environmental management practice, while the future contribution of this industry-led voluntary partnership is considered. This is being done in the context of DEFRA commitments in the 2011 Natural Environment White Paper to assess advice and incentives to farmers and the role of voluntary approaches in delivering DEFRA’s environmental priorities, with the aim of introducing any new arrangements from January 2013.

Supermarkets

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will incorporate the provisions of the Food Waste Bill into the Groceries Code Adjudicator Bill.

Norman Lamb: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	The Groceries Code Adjudicator Bill will be limited to the creation of an Adjudicator to uphold the Groceries Code. It will not address other issues related to retailers.

Swine Flu

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment she has made of the likelihood of a future swine influenza outbreak.

James Paice: Influenza is a relatively common infection of UK pigs and is diagnosed regularly in the domestic pig population. While swine influenza is not a notifiable disease under domestic or EU law, industry and Government maintain strong co-operation through a swine influenza surveillance programme. The Animal Health Veterinary Laboratories Agency publishes quarterly surveillance findings on its website.

Travel

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many journeys (a) Ministers and (b) officials from her Department made by (i) train, (ii) coach and (iii) Government car in an official capacity in each of the last six months.

Richard Benyon: The information is as follows:
	(a) Journeys made by DEFRA Ministers in each of the last six months are as follows:
	(i) Journeys by train :
	
		
			  October November December January February March 
			 Caroline Spelman 0 0 2 2 1 2 
			 Jim Paice 3 7 1 5 3 5 
			 Richard Benyon 9 6 9 5 3 7 
			 Lord Taylor 8 5 8 9 5 7 
		
	
	(ii) Coach:
	No DEFRA Ministers have travelled by coach in an official capacity in the last six months.
	(iii) Government cars:
	Details of all journeys of Government cars made in an official capacity by DEFRA Ministers are not held centrally, and collation would incur disproportionate costs.
	(b) The number of journeys made by officials from core DEFRA by (i) train, (ii) coach and (iii) Government car in an official capacity in each of the last six months is not identifiable from the operating system that DEFRA uses.

Vacancies: Senior Civil Servants

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many job vacancies there were for (a) staff posts and (b) senior civil service posts in her Department on 31 March (i) 2010, (ii) 2011 and (iii) 2012; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Benyon: The following table shows the job vacancies for the periods requested. Vacancies have been defined as those within core DEFRA which could not be filled from within the civil service and therefore were authorised for external recruitment outside the civil service. Information is not held for vacancies existing on a particular date therefore information has been provided for the total number of vacancies authorised for external recruitment for the entire year.
	
		
			 Dates (a) Non-SCS Staff Posts (b) SCS 
			 (i) 1 April 2011 to 31 March 2012 18 3 
			 (ii) 1 April 2010 to 31 March 2011 2 0 
			 (iii) 1 April 2009 to 31 March 2010 33 5

Water Companies

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will undertake a comparative assessment of the (a) charges paid by consumers and (b) performance in meeting leakage targets of water companies that are (i) privately-owned and pay dividends to shareholders and (ii) owned by their customers via a social enterprise not-for-profit model; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Benyon: There is no water and sewerage company in England or Wales that describes itself as being owned by its customers via a social enterprise not-for-profit model. Dwr Cymru (Welsh Water) is owned by Glas Cymru—a not-for-profit company.
	Ofwat forecasts that the average water and sewerage bill across all companies will be £376. The average Dwr Cymru bill is £427. Companies' average bills are listed on Ofwat's website.
	In 2010-11, six water companies—Northumbrian Water, Southern Water, Anglian Water, Yorkshire Water, Severn Trent Water and Dwr Cymru—failed their leakage targets and are now reporting regularly to Ofwat on progress towards meeting these. Of these companies, Yorkshire Water has offered an informal undertaking to meet its targets and Southern Water has agreed a binding, formal undertaking to meet its target. Southern Water has further committed to return £5 million to customers from 2015 for its failure of leakage targets. Ofwat continues to monitor the situations.
	Where companies fail to meet leakage targets, Ofwat, as the economic regulator of the water and sewerage sector, can investigate and take the appropriate action.

Water Companies

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of (a) steps taken by and (b) the powers of Ofwat to (i) ensure water companies meet leakage targets, (ii) enable householders to save water and (iii) maintain water bills at affordable rates; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Benyon: Each water company has a target to reduce leakage. They report progress annually to Ofwat, the independent regulator, and when companies fail to meet these targets, Ofwat can investigate and take the appropriate action. For example, Ofwat can require a formal undertaking from a company to commit to meeting all future targets, or where necessary it can use its powers to fine companies.
	Water companies have a duty to promote the efficient use of water by their customers. In addition, at the last price review, Ofwat also set annual targets for companies to reduce per capita consumption of water by one litre per property per day. Companies can use a variety of means to meet their targets, such as advice to customers or offering free or subsidised water efficiency devices.
	Ofwat calculates that the average household water and sewerage bill for 2012-13 is £376. Its periodic reviews of prices set limits on the amounts that companies can charge, while allowing payments for necessary improvements in services.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Bill of Rights

Penny Mordaunt: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to his answer of 23 April 2012, Official Report, column 622W, on Bill of Rights, with which three members of the Commission on a Bill of Rights he had a telephone conference; on what date that telephone conference took place; and whether a record was kept of that telephone conference.

Nicholas Clegg: On 4 May 2011 I had a telephone conference with Professor Philippe Sands QC, Baroness Kennedy of the Shaws QC and Professor Sir David Edward QC. There is not a record of the call.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Africa

Tony Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much funding his Department provided to fund voucher schemes for private schools in Africa in the latest period for which figures are available.

Stephen O'Brien: The Department for International Development has made no spend on voucher schemes for private schools in Africa. Our only support for voucher schemes is in Pakistan where DFID has supported the Punjab Education Foundation since 2009 to deliver quality education to 1 million children through its foundation assisted schools as well as voucher programmes. We currently provide approximately £190,000 per year to the voucher programme, which is designed to support out of school children, and is being expanded to all 36 districts of Punjab and will support 300,000 children in the next three years.

Overseas Aid

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps he is taking to support efforts to reform the UN's humanitarian reform initiative; and if he will make a statement.

Alan Duncan: DFID is taking a number of steps to drive forward reform of the UN's humanitarian system. For example, the UK is supporting the UN's Emergency Response Co-ordinator, Baroness Amos, to implement a series of reforms to support a faster, effective and efficient humanitarian response. These reforms are set out in the Inter Agency Standing Committee's (IASC) Transformative Agenda (TA). They include stronger leadership and better co-ordination and accountability in large scale rapid onset natural disasters and complex emergencies. The Secretary of State for International Development, my right hon. Friend the Member for Sutton Coldfield (Mr Mitchell), is in regular dialogue with Baroness Amos, UN agency heads and other IASC members on these issues.
	DFID is leading a new Disaster Resilience Political Champions Group which is working to promote and support disaster resilience in poor countries. For example, supporting better early warning systems, new partnerships with the private sector on risk financing, testing out new approaches to cope with disasters such as building schools that can double up as cyclone shelters, strengthening the links development and humanitarian action. This in turn will result in more effective aid, enhanced results and greater value for money.

West Africa

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what action he is taking to support those affected by food shortages in West Africa; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen O'Brien: In direct response to severe food shortages in the Sahel region of West Africa, the Secretary of State for International Development, my right hon. Friend the Member for Sutton Coldfield (Mr Mitchell), announced two urgent packages of UK support to help mitigate the crisis, one in January and the other in March. Through this assistance, British aid will support over 400,000 people across the Sahel in 2012. This will help:
	155,000 children and women to benefit from improved nutrition, of which over 87,000 children under five will be treated for severe acute malnutrition;
	153,000 people to receive food;
	a further 104,000 men, women and children to benefit from community livelihoods support such as animal feed and animal vaccinations and cash and or in-kind transfers.
	As well as responding to the current crisis the UK is supporting multilateral efforts to promote resilience in the Sahel. We believe that helping communities in the Sahel to become more resistant to climatic and economic shocks must be a priority for all to prevent future food insecurity in the region.
	UK officials continue to monitor the situation closely and liaise with their opposite numbers in other Governments to ensure that other countries take their fair share of the response.

BUSINESS, INNOVATION AND SKILLS

Business: Radio

Stephen Phillips: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what plans his Department has regarding charges levied on small businesses for licences to play radio stations in their place of work.

Norman Lamb: The Department has no such plans. The charges in question are levied on small businesses by bodies known as collecting societies, who collect on behalf of owners of rights in the music. These bodies are privately-run entities, and the fees they charge for licences are not regulated by Government. However, individual businesses or their representative associations can make a reference to the Copyright Tribunal (an independent judicial body) if they believe these charges are excessive.

Construction: Industry

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of (a) the reasons for the fall in construction output in the first quarter of 2012 and (b) whether there is a correlation between Government policy and output levels in the construction sector.

Mark Prisk: holding answer 30 April 2012
	The quarterly (UK, seasonally adjusted) data published in the ONS GDP release on 25 April did not break down by type of work in the construction industry.
	The latest available figures on construction output are for February 2012. These cover Great Britain only and are not seasonally adjusted. They show that construction output fell by 15.6% in the three months to February compared to the previous three months.
	The Government are a significant funder of construction work and the effects of decisions on public spending clearly have an impact on the construction industry. That is why we are working hard with the construction industry on a number of fronts including, for instance, the Government Construction Strategy (to ensure that the public procurement process is more efficient and effective), the Green Construction Board (to ensure that Government and industry understands the potential of new and emerging business opportunities) as well as the reforms to the planning system (to free up land supply) and measures to stimulate the housing market.

Construction: Industry

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will convene a meeting for the purpose of establishing what additional assistance could be provided to the construction sector and its supply chain to (a) raise output and (b) increase employment within the sector; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Prisk: holding answer 30 April 2012
	I meet regularly with the construction industry, its Strategic Forum for Construction and the Green Construction Board to discuss the issues it faces and the state of the market and employment opportunities frequently feature.
	This Government are pursuing growth in the construction sector through a number of measures including the Government Construction Strategy (to ensure that the public procurement process is more efficient and effective), the Green Construction Board (to ensure that Government and industry understands the potential of new and emerging business opportunities) as well as the reforms to the planning system (to free up land supply) and measures to stimulate the housing market.

Consumers: Scotland

Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what consumer protection legislation the Scottish Government has requested be devolved to the Scottish Parliament.

Norman Lamb: On 22 September 2011, the Scottish Government wrote to the Consumer Minister seeking consideration of the devolution of consumer-focused powers to Scotland. The Minister indicated that he was willing to consider these. He asked that the Scottish Government set out their views as to which powers they are considering and how the new model would operate. He also agreed that the issues around the devolution of consumer-focused powers continue to be discussed further at official level. No specific proposals have been put forward by the Scottish Government.

Departmental Billing

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many and what proportion of his Department's invoices from its private sector suppliers were paid (a) within 14 days, (b) between 15 and 30 days, (c) between 31 and 60 days, (d) between 61 and 90 days and (e) more than 90 days after receipt in the last 12 months.

Norman Lamb: The Department does not currently report on the numbers and percentages of supplier invoices paid in the periods quoted above and this information can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	However, the Department does report on the number and percentage of supplier invoices paid within 30 calendar days and five working days. In the 12 months to January 2012 the Department paid 23,130 supplier invoices and of these 99.7% were paid within 30 calendar days and 95.1% were paid within five working days.

EU Emissions Trading Scheme: Manufacturing Industries

Mark Tami: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment his Department has made of the effect on the manufacturing industry of the inclusion of aviation in the EU Emissions Trading Scheme.

Mark Prisk: In July 2010 the UK Government published an impact assessment on the second stage of transposition of EU legislation to include aviation in the European Union Emissions Trading System (ETS). However, there was no assessment of the direct impact of the aviation ETS on manufacturing.
	A copy of the impact assessment can be found at
	http://www.decc.gov.uk/assets/decc/Consultations/euetsaviationsecondstage/909-ia-second-stage-transposition-euets.pdf

Exports: Pigs

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps he is taking to facilitate access to the Australian market for UK pork exporters.

Mark Prisk: Officials in DEFRA have submitted a response to the questionnaire sent by the relevant Australian authorities earlier in the year. The latter are still evaluating the information, but initial feedback indicates that they are satisfied with what has been provided. DEFRA officials will continue to keep industry representatives informed of developments.

Higher Education: Devolution

Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what discussions he has had on Tier 2 visas with ministerial colleagues in the devolved Administrations responsible for higher education.

David Willetts: I discuss a range of topics with my ministerial colleagues responsible for higher education in the devolved Administrations. My officials also work with counterparts in the nations and Universities UK, who represent the devolved Administrations, on issues including Tier 2 visas.

Higher Education: Insolvency

Nick Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what contingency plans his Department has put in place in the event of institutions of higher education becoming insolvent; and what statutory provision has been made for such an eventuality.

David Willetts: The Higher Education Council for England (HEFCE) has powers that enable them to monitor the financial health of the higher education sector. This allows them to provide early warning of any institutions that are getting into difficulty. HEFCE would seek to protect the interests of students to ensure they could at a minimum, complete their studies. If any institution were to fail, our primary concern is assuring the continuing education of its students.

Manufacturing Industries: EU Action

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment his Department has undertaken into the effect of EU legislation on currency hedging on manufacturing industries.

Mark Prisk: There are a number of EU proposals for financial services legislation that are designed to improve the resilience of the financial system and may have an impact on derivative products and therefore on currency hedging by manufacturing industries.
	Financial services legislation is negotiated by HM Treasury and I refer the hon. Member to the Explanatory Memoranda on the Commission's proposals, of which copies are available in the Library.
	I would however be happy to receive any evidence that the hon. Member has of how this may impact manufacturing industries.

Mature Students: Finance

Adrian Bailey: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what proportion of (a) higher education maintenance grants, (b) tuition fee loans and (c) maintenance loans went to students over the age of 24 years in (i) the 2011-12 academic year to date and (ii) each of the previous three academic years.

David Willetts: Information on the proportion of expenditure of each support type paid to students aged over 24 will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

Meetings

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department have had any meetings with (i) Simon Hoare, (ii) CGMS, (iii) Freshwater UK, (iv) Intermodality LLP, (v) BNP Paribas Real Estate, (vi) Helio Europe and (vii) Bircham Dyson Bell LLP since May 2010; and whether he has received any recent representations from each such individual or organisation since May 2010.

Norman Lamb: Meetings between Ministers and external organisations and the Permanent Secretary and external organisations are now published: quarterly.
	http://www.bis.gov.uk/transparency/staff
	Quarters not yet published (from October 2011 onwards) will be published in due course. Information about meetings with other officials could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Money Lenders: Teeside

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent estimate his Department has made of the level of unscrupulous money lending on Teesside.

Norman Lamb: On 11 April 2012, the Government published its response to the consultation on empowering and protecting consumers, which set out the decision to establish a National Trading Standards Board (NTSB) for England and Wales.
	The NTSB has responsibility for prioritising national and cross-local authority boundary enforcement in England and Wales, including:
	an integrated national intelligence system;
	the coordination of Trading Standards enforcement activity across local authority boundaries and nationally including management of enforcement databases;
	the analysis of intelligence and setting of priorities for cross-boundary enforcement;
	funding and supervision of Trading Standards teams in English and Wales and a small number of national centres of excellence;
	the maintenance and use of a national indemnity fund to support local authorities bringing large or risky cases in the national interest;
	the tasking of problematic supra-local enforcement cases within the Trading Standards network;
	the collection of better data on Trading Standards activity and the evaluation of impact; and
	reporting to BIS, and where necessary to the LGA and to Parliament, on Trading Standards activity which crosses local authority boundaries and the use of central Government funding.
	The NTSB has decided to continue to operate the Tackling Illegal Money Lending Team, and has made the following assessment.
	For Teeside, the number of complaints regarding intermediary credit business for 2011/12 was 125. This was made up of complaints about payday loans, home credit provision, retaining fees for brokers and other areas of credit unspecified.
	The team has received 22 reports of intelligence regarding illegal money lending for the same period for the Teeside area.
	In the north east, there are a number of strategies looking at financial inclusion and financial capability, which address the effects of unlicensed doorstep lending, including the Thrive' project and Financial Inclusion and Capability Northeast.

Overseas Trade

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps his Department plans to take to encourage collaboration and networking by UK businesses with international partners.

Norman Lamb: The economic rationale for UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) services includes acting as an intermediary in identifying international partners for UK businesses. Therefore, its activities, services, help and advice, both in the UK and overseas, are geared towards helping UK companies to collaborate and network with international partners.
	Details of how UKTI is planning to do this are set out in its strategy 'Britain Open for Business', which was launched in May 2011. The UKTI website
	www.ukti.gov.uk
	gives further information on UKTI services and its strategy.

Post Office

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what representations he has received from Consumer Focus on challenges with the introduction of the post office local operating model.

Norman Lamb: My predecessor, my right hon. Friend the Member for Eastleigh (Chris Huhne) had discussions with Consumer Focus in the context of their report 'Local but Limited' published on 1 April 2011. In that report, Consumer Focus described the network transformation programme, which includes the introduction of up to 2,000 Post Office local branches,
	“as significant, if not more challenging than previous restructure exercises”
	but, in the same report, also found that the Post Office Local model has the
	“clear potential to modernise the network, and to protect post office services.”

Post Office: Credit Unions

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what progress has been made in allowing access to credit union accounts through the Post Office network.

Mark Prisk: Post offices currently work with the credit union sector in a number of ways. For example more than 20 credit unions use Co-operative Finance's banking platform for cash receipts, payments and balance inquiries at the post office. Over 60 credit unions use Post Office's bill payment facilities to enable repayments of their loans. The Department for Work and Pensions' feasibility study into credit unions is an important next step in understanding how the credit union sector could further develop, and how this might enable it to work more widely with Post Office Ltd in the future.

Procurement

Michael Dugher: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much his Department spent on procurement from small and medium-sized enterprises in the fourth quarter of 2010-11.

Norman Lamb: In 2010-11 the Department only collected annual SME procurement data and from an annual procurement total of £253.6 million procurement with SMEs totalled £48.2 million. Quarterly figures for 2010-11 can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	Routine reporting on quarterly SME procurement data commenced in 2011-12 and is published on the Department's website at
	http://www.bis.gov.uk/QDS

Railways: Freight

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what representations (a) he, (b) Ministers and (c) officials in his Department have received on strategic rail freight interchanges.

Mark Prisk: holding answer 23 April 2012
	As part of growth review stakeholder engagement, officials in the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) held a roundtable with representatives from the logistics sector in August 2011 at which strategic rail freight interchanges were discussed.
	In November 2011, the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, the right hon. Member for Twickenham (Vince Cable), received correspondence about the St Albans Strategic Railfreight Interchange from a private company. This included a request for a meeting. He declined the request, stating that as growth needed to take place in line with local priorities, it would be inappropriate for BIS to intervene.

Railways: Radlett

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department have had any discussions on (i) the Helioslough Radlett rail freight exchange proposal and (ii) other rail freight issues since May 2010; and whether they have received any representations on these issues since May 2010.

Mark Prisk: Ministers and officials have not had specific meetings with external stakeholders on the Helioslough Radlett rail freight exchange since May 2010.
	In July 2010, I received correspondence from the hon. Member for Southampton, Test (Dr Whitehead) which stated the importance of rail freight to the port of Southampton, in particular the W10 gauge enhancement work. In my response, I acknowledged the importance of gauge clearance to the port and rail freight industries, as well as to the economy as a whole. I added that all Government expenditure, including the Department for Transport's plans for rail infrastructure, would be subject to review as part of the Government's comprehensive spending review.
	As part of Growth Review stakeholder engagement, officials in the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) held a roundtable with representatives from the logistics sector in August 2011 at which strategic rail freight interchanges were discussed. In November 2011, the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, the right hon. Member for Twickenham (Vince Cable), received correspondence about the St Albans Strategic Railfreight Interchange from a private company. This included a request for a meeting. He declined the request, stating that as growth needed to take place in line with local priorities, it would be inappropriate for BIS to intervene.

Regional Growth Fund

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many bids made as of 23 February 2012 to the Regional Growth Fund have now received the money allocated to them in (a) round 1 and (b) round 2 in each English administrative region.

Mark Prisk: holding answer 27 February 2012
	Regional Growth Fund (RGF) awards from Round 1 and Round 2 are normally phased over the three financial years 2011/12, 2012/13, 2013/14 and paid in arrears of private sector investment.
	To date a total of £464,969,601 has been paid in relation to RGF Round 1 and RGF Round 2 bids. The following table presents a regional breakdown. Note that this table only represents bids where the “final offer letter” has been agreed and where the bidder has had one or more claims paid.
	
		
			  Round 1 Round 2 Total 
			  Bid £ million Bid £ million Bid £ million 
			 North East 9 12.96 1 4 10 16.96 
			 North West 2 6.69 4 27.54 6 34.23 
			 Yorkshire and Humber 2 6.1 1 25.7 3 31.8 
			 West Midlands 4 13.19 1 70 5 83.19 
			 East Midlands 1 0.09 1 10 2 10.09 
			 South West 1 0.39 2 52.83 3 53.22 
			 South East and East 1 1.98 1 35 2 36.98 
			 More than one region 3 145 1 53.5 4 198.5

Sunday Trading

Gareth Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the effect of relaxing the Sunday trading laws between 22 July and 9 September 2012 on retailers in (a) Dartford, (b) Kent and (c) the south-east.

Mark Prisk: To make an accurate assessment of the potential impact would be difficult due to the unique nature of the Olympics and Paralympics. A separate study of the impact on different parts of the country has not been carried out.
	In 2006, as part of a wider review of Sunday trading restrictions, the Government commissioned Indepen Consulting Ltd to carry out an analysis of the economic costs and benefits of easing restrictions on large shops trading on Sundays. The conclusion of the cost benefit analysis was that the net economic benefit of full liberalisation could be worth around £1.4 billion per annum.
	Should the Government ever decide to look at a permanent relaxation of these restrictions then a full impact assessment would be carried out. As part of this impact assessment the Government would consider evidence on the impact that this temporary suspension may have had on relevant business large and small.

Sunday Trading: Olympic Games 2012

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what consultation he undertook with smaller retailers before announcing the relaxation of the Sunday Trading laws for the period around the London Olympic Games 2012.

Mark Prisk: The Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, my right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Rushcliffe (Mr Clarke), announced as part of the Budget that the Government intends to suspend the current restrictions on some large stores opening on Sundays during the Olympics.
	There was no consultation undertaken with smaller retailers before the announcement. However I have held a number of discussions with representatives of small shops, including the Association of Convenience Stores, the National Federation of Retail Newsagents and the Federation of Small Business. In addition we have held meetings with trade unions, large retailers including the large supermarkets, the CBI, the Church of England and Members of both Houses.
	In 2006, as part of a wider review of Sunday trading restrictions, the Government commissioned Indepen Consulting Ltd to carry out an analysis of the economic costs and benefits of easing restrictions on large shops trading on Sundays. The conclusion of the cost benefit analysis was that the net economic benefit of full liberalisation could be worth around £1.4 billion per annum. However there are no plans to pursue full liberalisation.

Sunday Trading: Redditch

Karen Lumley: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the effects of a change in Sunday trading hours on small businesses in Redditch.

Mark Prisk: To make an accurate assessment of the potential impact would be difficult due to the unique nature of the Olympics and Paralympics. A separate study of the impact on different parts of the country has not been carried out.
	In 2006, as part of a wider review of Sunday trading restrictions, the Government commissioned Indepen Consulting Ltd to carry out an analysis of the economic costs and benefits of easing restrictions on large shops trading on Sundays. The conclusion of the cost benefit analysis was that the net economic benefit of full liberalisation could be worth around £1.4 billion per annum. However, there are no plans to pursue full liberalisation.

Sunday Trading: Wrexham

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the effect on small businesses in Wrexham constituency of relaxing the provisions of the Sunday Trading Act 1994 between 22 July and 9 September 2012.

Mark Prisk: The unique nature of the Olympics and Paralympics makes an accurate assessment of the potential impact difficult and no separate study of the impact of the Bill on different parts of the country has been carried out. In 2006, as part of a wider review of Sunday trading restrictions, the Government commissioned Indepen Consulting Ltd to carry out an analysis of the economic costs and benefits of easing restrictions on large shops trading on Sundays. The conclusion of the cost benefit analysis was that the net economic benefit of full liberalisation is worth £20.3 billion over 20 years or £1.4 billion per annum.
	The Government recognises that the speed of this Bill has led to concerns about what the Bill actually does. To address this and to highlight the temporary nature of this Bill we have held a number of discussions with representatives of small shops, including the Association of Convenience Stores, the National Federation of Retail Newsagents and the Federation of Small Business.

Supermarkets: Competition

Jason McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will bring forward legislative proposals to grant powers to the forthcoming Groceries Code Adjudicator to fine supermarkets and launch investigations based on evidence from third parties.

Norman Lamb: The Government believes that the Adjudicator will be able to secure compliance with the Code without needing to fine retailers. However, it intends to include a reserve power to impose financial penalties, to be activated by order of the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, my right hon. Friend the Member for Twickenham (Vince Cable), if the other sanctions do not prove effective.
	The Government has agreed to consider further the arguments for allowing third party information made by the BIS Select Committee. It will announce the final decision on this matter at such time that the Bill is introduced into Parliament.

Taxis: Minimum Wage

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what controls are in place to ensure that drivers working for (a) Addison Lee and (b) other minicab companies receive the national minimum wage.

Norman Lamb: This Government is firmly committed to the national minimum wage (NMW). To support this, we are committed to effective, risk-based enforcement to ensure a level playing field for legitimate businesses and to protect workers who are at risk of abuse by those who refuse to play by the rules.
	Our policy is to ensure that all workers who are entitled to the NMW receive it. HM Revenue & Customs investigate all complaints made to them about underpayment of the NMW. Anyone who believes they are being underpaid should contact the Pay and Work Rights Helpline.

Teachers: Training

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many applications for postgraduate teacher training there were in each year from 1997 to 2011.

David Willetts: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Travel: Fees and Charges

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will estimate the additional revenue accrued by travel companies by charging higher prices during school holidays; and if he will make a statement.

Norman Lamb: This Department does not monitor the day to day revenue accrued by travel companies and has no plans to do so. It is for business to decide what to charge for its services. In doing so leisure travel companies no doubt take into account the peaks and troughs in demand they experience over the course of a year and the need to attract consumers in a competitive market.

UK National Contact Point

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will make an assessment of the outcomes of the UK National Contact Point's determinations.

Norman Lamb: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, the hon. Member for Hertford and Stortford (Mr Prisk), on 19 April 2012, Official Report, column 562W.
	Under the published arrangements for determining and monitoring the outcomes of cases referred to the UK National Contact Point (NCP), there is no direct oversight role for Ministers. The independent Steering Board, which contains representatives from key Government Departments and external stakeholder organisations, monitors whether or not the handling and outcome of individual cases is in line with the published arrangements.
	At the end of the Process, the NCP prepares a Final Statement, setting out the outcome of either Mediation between both Parties to the dispute, or the Examination Process under which the NCP determines whether or not the OECD Guidelines on Multinational Enterprises have been breached. The Final Statement may include recommendations for follow-up action to bring the company into compliance with the Guidelines, with a date by which it must report on progress. Final Statements and Follow-Ups to Final Statements are published on the BIS website at:
	www.bis.gov.uk/nationalcontactpoint

UK-Israel Life Sciences Council

Daniel Poulter: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the work of the UK-Israel Life Sciences Council.

David Willetts: The creation of the UK Israel Life Sciences Council (LSC) was announced by the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), during his visit to Israel in November 2010, in order to enhance scientific collaboration between the two countries.
	The first meeting of the LSC took place in January 2011 and decided to focus on Regenerative Medicine—an area in which both countries have much to offer each other. A fund of £10 million for a period of five years, raised mostly from private sources, will support this effort.
	The first call for proposals and the first UK-Israel Regenerative Medicine Conference took place last year. A large number of joint UK-IL research proposals have already been received and are currently under review.
	I believe the LSC is a very useful forum for focusing UK and Israeli joint efforts and is providing guidance and advice to the Regenerative Medicine initiative. The next meeting of the LSC will take place in Israel 20-21 May 2012.

Vodafone Group

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many times the Permanent Secretary in his Department has met Vodafone representatives in the last 12 months.

Norman Lamb: The Permanent Secretary at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has met representatives from Vodafone three times in the last 12 months. This includes an introductory meeting and, as part of a study that Vodafone carried out for the Department, an interview and a workshop attended by the Permanent Secretary and members of the senior management team.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Atos

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the monetary value is of each current contract between his Department and Atos.

Chris Grayling: Currently there are five separate contracts with Atos, each covering a different timeframe and policy area. The total monetary value for each contract, together with the appropriate contract timeframe is detailed in the following table.
	
		
			 Policy area Contract start date Current end date Spend in 2011-12 full year (£) 
			 1. Medical Services 1 September 2005 31 August 2015 112,400 
			 2. Tell Us Once—Tell Us Once Release A 17 November 2010 31 March 2014 6,281,540 
			 3. enGage (Government Gateway) 1 March 2006 31 March 2014 14,800,141 
			 4. Occupational Health 4 August 2008 2 August 2013 2,364,826 
			 5. Community Action Programme 7 November 2011 31 July 2012 0

Attendance Allowance

David Nuttall: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many families received attendance allowance at (a) the higher rate and (b) the lower rate in the Bury North constituency in the latest period for which figures are available.

Maria Miller: The information is contained in the following table:
	
		
			 Attendance allowance (AA) cases in payment in Bury North parliamentary constituency by award type: August 2011 
			  Cases 
			 Higher rate 1,310 
			 Lower rate 820 
		
	
	
		
			 Total 2,130 
			 Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. Totals may not sum due to rounding. 2. Figures show the number of people in receipt of an allowance, and exclude people with entitlement where the payment has been suspended, for example if they are in hospital. 3. Constituencies used are for the Westminster Parliament May 2010. 4. These data are available on the Department’s tabulation tool at: http://83.244.183.180/100pc/tabtool.html Source: DWP Information, Governance and Security Directorate, 100% WPLS

Children: Maintenance

Stephen Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will publish the names of the members of the Independent Panel established by the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission to consider child maintenance arrears and advise on how such arrears might be dealt with most effectively in the long term.

Maria Miller: The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission is responsible for the child maintenance system. I have asked the Child Maintenance Commissioner to write to the hon. Member with the information requested and I have seen the response.
	Letter from Noel Shanahan
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Child Maintenance Commissioner.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will publish the names of the members of the Independent Panel established by the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission to consider child maintenance arrears and advise on how such arrears might be dealt with most effectively in the long term.
	The Secretary of State asked Najib Nathoo, former President of the Credit Services Association to Chair the panel. The other panel members included Chris Nightingale, Director of Public Sector, Experian; Ian Cherry, Managing Director, Ventura UK; and Andrew Fisher, Finance Director, Provident Financial. The secretariat was provided by David Smith and Roger Marsh from PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Children: Maintenance

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether his Department has agreed the detail of the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission's proposed target operating model; and which stakeholders have been consulted by the Commission on the target operating model.

Maria Miller: The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission is responsible for the child maintenance system. I have asked the Child Maintenance Commissioner to write to the hon. Member with the information requested and I have seen the response.
	Letter from Noel Shanahan
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Child Maintenance Commissioner as the Child Support Agency is now the responsibility of the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department has agreed the detail of the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission's proposed target operating model; and which stakeholders have been consulted by the Commission on the target operating model.
	The Commission's Target Operating Model is an internal document that encapsulates the Commission's objectives, strategies and approach. It has been reviewed within the Commission and the Department for Work and Pensions, but there are no plans to consult on it externally.

Children: Maintenance

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the reasons are for the change in the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission's estimated operational savings over the next 10 years since June 2010; and for what reason the expected benefits from closing the existing child support schemes have fallen.

Maria Miller: The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission is responsible for the child maintenance system. I have asked the Child Maintenance Commissioner to write to the hon. Member with the information requested and I have seen the response.
	Letter from Noel Shanahan
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Child Maintenance Commissioner.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the reasons are for the change in the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission's estimated operational savings over the next 10 years since June 2010; and for what reason the expected benefits from closing the existing child support schemes have fallen.
	The benefits (in financial terms) of the Commission's reform programme are measured over 10 years using as a comparison a counterfactual scenario where the child maintenance system continues to be delivered as it is currently—the Child Support Agency (CSA) using two separate child maintenance computer systems and managing a significant number of cases manually due to system defects.
	There have been a significant number of policies surrounding the future scheme funded since June 2010 which have refined the Commission's projections and significant new operational improvements that were not part of the plan in June 2010. Significantly, the operational improvements affect both the projected costs of future operations and the estimated costs of delivering the CSA caseload without reform.
	The change in 'savings' as defined by the National Audit Office (NAO) in its recent report has three components:
	First, the projections for the reform programme. These are largely unchanged between these dates.
	Second, fee revenues which arise as a result of the introduction of charging. These reduce the net service cost to Government but are not discussed in detail here as they are a) not included in the operational cost totals and b) are not applicable to the counterfactual scenario.
	Finally, the change in the projected costs of the counterfactual scenario—Improvements in the CSA cost performance since June 2010 have meant that the cost projection for the counterfactual scenario is lower (e.g.: in 09/10 CSA delivery was £503m in the annual report and accounts. By 2010/11 this had reduced by 10% to £450m.)
	The two key changes impacting the counterfactual scenario projection are:
	Anticipated growth in off-system (clerical) case volumes (growing at almost 30,000 per annum in 2010) is now lower at 4,000 per annum because of improvements in process and performance. This means that the counterfactual costs of continuing with the CSA are now predicted to be lower than in earlier comparisons; and
	The ongoing efficiency programme instigated (including separate major reviews in August 2011 and in February 2012) has reduced ongoing cost forecasts for Head Office and Operational staff, IT., expenses, operational contracts and our estates costs among others. The majority of these impacts are beyond SR10.

Children: Maintenance

Toby Perkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he expects all child support cases, including clerical cases, to be reassessed under the guidelines of the new system for assessment.

Maria Miller: The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission is responsible for the child maintenance system. I have asked the Child Maintenance Commissioner to write to the hon. Member with the information requested and I have seen the response.
	Letter from Noel Shanahan
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Child Maintenance Commissioner as the Child Support Agency is now the responsibility of the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he expects all child support cases, including clerical cases, to be reassessed under the guidelines of the new system for assessment.
	When the new scheme using HM Revenue and Customs income data is launched, we will run it for at least six months to ensure it is working and delivering an improved client service before we introduce charges. At that point, we will begin to close all existing Child Support Agency cases and invite parents to choose whether they wish to apply to the new scheme or whether they would rather seek to agree their own arrangement between themselves. We will be bringing forward our plans for case closure in a public consultation this summer.

Children: Maintenance

Robert Buckland: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will take steps to encourage the Child Support Agency to impose stricter sanctions on parents who evade monetary responsibility for their children.

Maria Miller: The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission is responsible for the child maintenance system. I have asked the child maintenance commissioner to write to my hon. Friend with the information requested and I have seen the response.
	Letter from Noel Shanahan
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Child Maintenance Commissioner as the Child Support Agency is now the responsibility of the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will take steps to encourage the Child Support Agency to impose stricter sanctions on parents who evade monetary responsibility for their children.
	The Child Support Agency already has a wide range of enforcement powers for the purposes of securing child maintenance from non-resident parents, who would otherwise fail to pay. Money can be taken directly from a non-resident parent’s earnings if the non-resident parent is employed, money can be taken directly from a non-resident parent’s bank or building society account, or action can be taken through the courts.
	The most serious forms of enforcement are commitment to prison or disqualification from driving. The decision whether to impose such measures, and the length of the order, is at the discretion of a Magistrates’ Court (or Sheriff in Scotland) where they are satisfied that a non-resident parent has “wilfully refused or culpably neglected” to pay child maintenance—but this is not a criminal sanction.
	We will continue to review our success in the exercise of these enforcement powers, and the Government may opt to introduce further measures contained in the Child Maintenance and Other Payments Act 2008 (subject to a public consultation where appropriate) if it is deemed in the public interest to do so.

Children: Maintenance

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in what proportion of Child Support Agency cases where maintenance is paid via the Agency it is done so by (a) direct debit, (b) a deduction from earnings order and (c) a deduction order.

Maria Miller: The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission is responsible for the child maintenance system. I have asked the Child Maintenance Commissioner to write to the hon. Member with the information requested and I have seen the response.
	Letter from Noel Shanahan
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Child Maintenance Commissioner as the Child Support Agency is now the responsibility of the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, in what proportion of Child Support Agency cases where maintenance is paid via the Agency it is done so by (a) direct debit, (b) a deduction from earnings order and (c) a deduction order.
	The Child Support Agency does not hold information on the actual method of collection, but does record the non-resident parent's preferred method of collection.
	As of March 2012, 14.2% of cases paying maintenance had a preferred method of collection of direct debit, and 19.1% of deduction from earnings order/request.
	A deduction order is not classed as a method of maintenance collection; instead it is classed as an enforcement action. Therefore, those who have paid via deduction order will also have a preferred method of collection recorded on the system.
	In the year to February 2012, 660 regular deduction orders were authorised and 395 lump sum deduction orders were authorised.
	Enforcement information is routinely published in the Child Support Agency Quarterly Summary of Statistics which is available through the following link:
	http://www.childmaintenance.org/en/pdf/qss/Qss_mar_2012.pdf

Children: Maintenance

Richard Bacon: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what changes or additions have been made to the IT contract agreed between the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission and Tata Consultancy Services in 2009; and what the extra cost to his Department has been of any such changes or additions.

Maria Miller: The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission is responsible for the child maintenance system. I have asked the Child Maintenance Commissioner to write to the hon. Member with the information requested and I have seen the response.
	Letter from Noel Shanahan
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Child Maintenance Commissioner.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what changes or additions have been made to the IT contract agreed between the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission and Tata Consultancy Services in 2009; and what the extra cost to his Department has been of any such changes or additions.
	The National Audit Office's recent report, Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission: Cost Reduction highlighted that the Commission's costs in developing and implementing the new child maintenance system had increased.
	Part of this increase relates to the Tata Consulting Services (TCS) contract that covers requirements analysis, design, build, test and implementation support of the new child maintenance system which will replace the Child Support Agency's two bespoke legacy systems. During the lifetime of the contract, the contract has been revised via five detailed commercial negotiations.
	The original contract value including the purchase of a banking software licence was for around £15m.
	A contract change was agreed in September 2009. It had no effect on contract value and simply amended the contract wording. A second contract change was agreed in June 2010 which added £5m.
	In March 2011, a third contract change was agreed. This added £7.6m for a fixed price agreement, within which TCS had to deliver the core system build to the end of system integration testing. £3.5m was added for minor change requests up to March 2011, and £2.8m was agreed for further change requests arising after that date.
	In November, a fourth contract change changed the contract wording with no impact on value. Finally, in April 2012, a fifth contract change extended the fixed price agreement for three months at no additional cost.

Disability Living Allowance

Yasmin Qureshi: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he plans to make of the effects of reform of disability living allowance on the health and social care system.

Maria Miller: We will evaluate the introduction of personal independence payment. The precise scope of the evaluation is yet to be determined but results will be made publicly available.
	We will also publish a report to Parliament, two years after the introduction of personal independence payment, on the assessment.

Disability Living Allowance

Frank Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people claimed disability living allowance in Motherwell and Wishaw constituency in (a) 2010 and (b) 2011.

Maria Miller: The information is contained in the following table:
	
		
			 Disability living allowance (DLA) cases in payment in Motherwell and Wishaw parliamentary constituency 
			  Cases 
			 August 2010 7,440 
			 August 2011 7,500 
			 Notes: 1. Caseload figures are rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Figures show the number of people in receipt of an allowance, and excludes people with entitlement where the payment has been suspended, for example if they are in hospital. 3. A diagnosed medical condition does not mean that someone is automatically entitled to DLA. Entitlement is dependent on an assessment of how much help someone needs with personal care and/or mobility because of their disability. These statistics are only collected for administrative purposes. 4. Constituencies used are for the Westminster Parliament May 2010. 5. These data are available on the Department’s tabulation tool at: http://83.244.183.180/100pc/tabtool.html Source: DWP Information, Governance and Security Directorate, 100% WPLS

Employment and Support Allowance

Richard Fuller: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what training and support his Department provides for people in the Work Related Activity Group to help them into work.

Chris Grayling: Claimants in the Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) Work Related Activity Group (WRAG) can access the personalised advice and support available through Jobcentre Plus, and the tailored support offered through the Work Programme.
	They may also be able to get support offered through Work Choice which is a specialist employment programme for disabled people, and Access to Work which provides additional support for individuals whose health or disability affects the way they do their job.

Employment and Support Allowance

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many blind people will have their income reduced as a result of changes to contributory employment and support allowance.

Chris Grayling: The information requested is not available.
	Those moving off contributory employment and support allowance (ESA) as a result of the time limit will be able to apply for income-related ESA if they are eligible. Only those who have other resources available to them will not be entitled to income-related benefit.

Employment Schemes

Michael Dugher: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people successfully placed in jobs by work programme contractors in Barnsley East constituency in each of the last three months; and how many people claiming employment and support allowance were referred into the work programme in Barnsley East constituency in the latest period for which figures are available.

Chris Grayling: The Department aims to publish official statistics on Work programme job outcomes in autumn 2012 and it is intended that these figures will include a constituency breakdown.
	
		
			 Number of Work programme referrals by employment and support allowance payment groups in Barnsley east parliamentary constituency: June 2011 to October2011 
			 Payment group Total 
			 ESA Volunteers (1)— 
			 New ESA claimants 50 
			 ESA Ex-Incapacity benefit (1)— 
			 (1 )Nil-or negligible Notes: 1. Figures are cumulative-and are rounded to the nearest ten. 2. Referrals shown are ‘net’ referrals which do not include rejections or cancellation. 3. Payment groups are assigned by Jobcentre Plus, on the basis of a claimant's circumstances, and benefit they receive. Due to payment groups currently being assigned manually, a small number of claimants appear in an incorrect group. This is most notable in the jobseekers’ allowance (JSA) 18-24 and JSA 25+ payment groups, which contain some claimants who are not eligible due to their age. This issue will be rectified in the planned update of the Labour Market System, which will automatically assign new claimants into payment groups; however it will not correct payment groups assigned prior to the update. 4. Parliamentary constituency is at the time of referral. 5. Figures are published on the tabulation tool: http://statistics.dwp.gov.uk/asd/index.php?page=tabtool Source: DWP Information, Governance and Security Directorate (IGS)

Employment Schemes

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether his Department has advised job centres to prioritise new claimants for entry into the Work Programme.

Chris Grayling: No. Claimants are referred to the Work Programme at specified times depending on the benefit they are claiming, the duration of their claim and their particular circumstances. These referral points are set out in Jobcentre Plus and Work Programme provider guidance and summarised in the following table.
	
		
			 Claimant group Referral point 
			 JSA claimants aged 18 to 24 Required from nine months into their claim 
			 JSA claimants aged 25 and over Required from 12 months into their claim 
			 JSA claimants facing significant disadvantages in the labour market Required or optional from three months into their claim (depending on claimant's circumstances) 
			 JSA claimants who are prison leavers Required from the first day of a claim to JSA within three months of release from prison 
			 New income related ESA claimants with a prognosis of three or six months Required from date of WCA outcome 
			 All other ESA claimants Optional from date of WCA outcome 
			 Income Support and Incapacity Benefit claimants Optional from benefit entitlement (in England only) 
			 Pension Credit claimants Optional from 12 months from start of benefit claim or from day one if claimant has a health condition

Employment Schemes: Contracts

Brandon Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps the Department has taken to encourage local and national companies to take part in the Community Service Scheme.

Crispin Blunt: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Ministry of Justice.
	There is no Community Service Scheme but, assuming this question refers to Community Payback, the Government has recently published Consultation Papers to give consideration to the future structures and objectives of both community sentences and the probation service. Community sentences which effectively punish and rehabilitate offenders will require the utilisation of the innovative capacity of private, voluntary and social enterprise organisations. A competition for the provision of Community Payback in London has commenced. Three approved national private sector companies are competing for the London contract. It is anticipated that the successful bidder will sub-contract or work in partnership with local companies and the voluntary sector to deliver Community Payback cost effectively and to a high standard. The outcome of the consultation process will determine how this process is best taken forward across the rest of England and Wales.

Employment Schemes: Young People

Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many businesses in Glasgow North constituency have become part of the Youth Contract programme; and how many people in Glasgow North constituency have found employment through the programme.

Chris Grayling: The specific information requested is not available. Employers engage with us in a variety of ways and we are maximising every contact to promote the Youth Contract to ensure that we can provide close to half-a-million new opportunities for young people.

Employment Schemes: Young People

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which job centres have a policy of only referring new claimants to the Youth Contract.

Chris Grayling: The Youth Contract consists of a number of different support types, each of which has its own eligibility criteria, but all of which are available to new and existing claimants on an equal basis.
	Jobcentre advisers work with all young claimants to identify the best opportunity for them from the range of support that is available, helping them to be better prepared for work and have a better chance of finding and taking up sustained employment.
	There are elements of the Youth Contract which are targeted at young people who have been longer term unemployed, such as the wage incentive for employers, which is payable to employers hiring young people who have been out of work nine months or more. That is to give young people who are at a particular disadvantage in the labour market an extra level of support.

Employment Schemes: Young People

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will publish all guidance given to Jobcentre Plus centres by his Department on the Youth Contract.

Chris Grayling: The Work Programme guidance is published on the Department's website and has been updated to include details of the Youth Contract wage incentive.
	Existing Jobcentre Plus procedural guidance for staff has been updated with details of the other Youth Contract measures. Procedural guidance is internal guidance for staff and is not routinely published, but we can make it available should you request it.

Housing Benefit

Kwasi Kwarteng: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what timetable he has set for the transfer of responsibilities for administering housing benefit from local authorities to his Department.

Steve Webb: The Universal Credit migration approach, published on 1 November, set out how DWP will start to take new claims to universal credit from October 2013 and that new claims to the current benefits and credits will gradually phased out. Work continues with HMRC and local authorities to understand the precise detail of how this will work, but this approach will ensure that universal credit is phased in safely from October 2013, minimising the risk to claimants. Even once agreed, the DWP will keep the approach under regular review as it recognises that the approach needs to be flexible enough the respond to national and local circumstances as they change in the years before the migration to universal credit is concluded in 2017.

Industrial Health and Safety: Police

Gareth Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what progress has been made on reviewing health and safety in the police.

Chris Grayling: Common Sense, Common Safety recommended that police officers should not be at risk of investigation or prosecution under health and safety legislation if they have put themselves at risk as a result of committing a heroic act, and that HSE, the Association of Chief Police Officers and the Crown Prosecution Service should consider further guidance to put this into effect.
	This recommendation has been implemented. HSE has issued guidance, developed with ACPO, which makes it clear that HSE would not investigate or take action against police officers in such circumstances. The guidance “Striking the balance between operational and health and safety duties in the Police Service: An explanatory note”, available at:
	http://www.hse.gov.uk/services/police/explanatory-note.pdf
	has been published on the HSE website. The Crown Prosecution Service has issued guidance to its lawyers to similar effect.

Jobcentre Plus

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many Jobcentre Plus centres have reported difficulties with capacity; and which Jobcentre Plus centres have made such reports.

Chris Grayling: In the last 12 months there have been no reported difficulties with capacity in Jobcentre Plus centres.

Jobseeker's Allowance: Fraud

Michael Dugher: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people normally resident in Barnsley East constituency were prosecuted for offences relating to fraudulent claims for jobseeker's allowance in each of the last five years.

Chris Grayling: Prosecution data specific to your Barnsley East constituency is not available.

Legal Costs

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much his Department spent on fees for legal work in (a) 2010-11 and (b) 2011-12; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Grayling: Please see as follows for the Department for Work and Pensions' external legal spend;
	
		
			  Amount spent (£) Change (1)  (percentage) 
			 2011-12 15,742,880 -0.53 
			 2010-11 15,827,238 -28.12 
			 2009-10 22,018,223  
			 (1) A negative percentage denotes a decrease in costs over the previous year. 
		
	
	These amounts include external expenditure on;
	Legal services obtained by DWP;
	Case work performed on behalf of DWP;
	Costs and compensation relating to legal action taken against DWP;
	Some costs of training and development activity in support of the continuing professional development of our legal staff;
	Legal services obtained on' behalf of some other Government Departments/agencies (eg Department of Health; Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency) for which the Department is fully reimbursed. These amounted to £1.2 million in 2011-12;
	Certain other smaller categories that represent a small proportion of this figure.
	Except as indicated above, this figure does not include expenditure on staff costs. It also does not generally include expenditure on individual lawyers who are utilised on a consultancy basis.
	Further breakdown of these figures would not be possible without incurring considerable costs in retrieval and analysis of the thousands of invoices which make up these figures and which are held in remote storage.

Members: Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he plans to reply to the letter from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton of 14 March 2012 with regard to Ms L. Wright.

Chris Grayling: Following a thorough search of the Department's correspondence system, we are unable to locate this letter.

Official Secrets

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether any person employed by (a) his Department, (b) the agencies and non-departmental public bodies for which his Department is responsible and (c) any private firms contracted by his Department is bound by any part of the Official Secrets Act.

Chris Grayling: All Crown servants and Government contractors (as defined by Sections 12(1) and 12(2) of the Official Secrets Act 1989) are subject to the requirements of the Official Secrets Act.

Remploy: Wales

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the potential for Remploy factories in Wales to operate as social enterprises.

Maria Miller: The Government commissioned independent advisors to undertake a commercial review of the businesses and provide advice before deciding future strategy.
	A copy of the report was published on 13 March 2012 on the DWP website and is available at
	http://www.dwp.gov.uk/consultations/2011/specialist-disability-emp-prog.shtml#ir
	Remploy has started collective consultation with its trade unions and the management forums on the proposed closure of the 36 factories that the Remploy board considers (subject to consultation) are unlikely to be able to achieve independent financial viability. Remploy welcome proposals for the exit of any parts of the Remploy businesses currently subject to consultation with any other proposals for avoiding compulsory redundancies. I confirmed in my statement of 20 March 2012 that Remploy would publish details of the commercial process on its website
	www.remploy.co.uk
	including contact information to assist those who wish to put forward an expression of interest.
	Remploy will make commercial data available to any interested parties (under a non disclosure agreement and with the agreement of other contracting parties as necessary) who express an interest in developing a credible proposal for the exit of a business.
	We are also considering the independent expert support that employees might require to help them develop a business proposal. On 23 April 2012 Remploy published on its website and communicated to staff details of the support, up to a limit of £10,000, which will be available to successful EOIs from employee-led proposals. This money can be used to get expert advice and support to put together their proposals, including paying for legal and accountancy support.

Revenue and Customs

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many staff were located at each HM Revenue and Customs office in Scotland in each of the last five years.

Chris Grayling: Department for Work and Pensions is minor occupier to HM Revenue and Customs in the following locations in Scotland. The numbers of staff in post are as follows:
	
		
			  As of 31 March each year 
			  2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 
			 River House Inverness 62 63 54 69 66 
			 Dumbarton 39 37 39 34 32 
			 Rothesay 8 7 9 9 8

Social Security Benefits

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the comparable yearly costs are of (a) the average range of benefits to which an unemployed individual is entitled and (b) a guaranteed job paid at the minimum wage by government.

Chris Grayling: The following table shows the typical weekly amounts of benefits received by a single, unemployed jobseeker with no children. Annual amounts are based on the claimant receiving these amounts for a full 52 weeks. However, the average length of a jobseeker’s allowance claim is less than a year.
	
		
			 £ 
			 Benefit Weekly amount Annual amount 
			 Jobseeker’s allowance 71.00 3,692 
			 Housing benefit 85.80 4,462 
			 Council tax benefit 14.20 738 
		
	
	
		
			 Total 171.00 8,892 
			 Notes: 1. Figures are indicative only. 2. Weekly figures are rounded to the nearest 10p; annual figures are rounded to the nearest £1 3. The claimant is assumed to be aged 35 to 44. 4. No account has been made of household capital. 5. Amounts of housing benefit and council tax benefit are based on average awards for single claimants with no children from January 2012 data. 
		
	
	The Department does not have a programme which includes guaranteed jobs so the information for part (b) is not available.

Social Security Benefits

Michael Dugher: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many working-age households in (a) Barnsley East constituency and (b) Barnsley Metropolitan Borough were in receipt of benefits that totalled more than his proposed benefit cap under the provisions of the Welfare Reform Act 2012, excluding those households which are exempted, in the latest period for which figures are available.

Chris Grayling: The information is not available for Barnsley East constituency.
	Based on the latest data available, it is estimated that fewer than 100 households were in receipt of benefits that totalled more than the proposed benefit cap in the Metropolitan borough of Barnsley.
	The figures presented above are consistent with the recent impact assessment published on the 23 January 2012. This assumes that the situation of these households will go unchanged, and they will not take any steps to either work enough hours to qualify for working tax credit, renegotiate their rent in situ, or find alternative accommodation. In all cases the Department is working to support households through this transition, using existing provision through Jobcentre Plus and the Work programme to-move as many into work as possible.
	It is important to note that these estimates were produced before the additional easements announced on the 1st February which included the exemption of households who were in receipt of the support component of employment and support allowance and a nine-month grace period for claimants who were in work for 52-weeks or more before the start of their claim. This means that these figures are subject to change.

Social Security Benefits

Kwasi Kwarteng: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what role he expects local authorities to play in supporting the delivery of universal credit and housing benefit.

Steve Webb: The universal credit programme team are currently working with the Local Government Association, the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities and the Welsh Local Government Association in order to develop proposals for how local authorities will fit into the delivery model for universal credit.
	We will be able to describe the outcome over the coming months.

Social Security Benefits: Disability

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make an assessment of the (a) cumulative effect of his planned reforms to benefits and services on disabled people and (b) extent to which planned reforms to benefits and services are enabling (i) government and (ii) local authorities to comply with their obligations under the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Miller: The Government are limited in what cumulative analysis is possible because of the complexity of the modelling required and the amount of detailed information on individuals and families that is required to estimate the interactions of a number of different policy changes. In addition, the Government's programme of welfare reform will not be fully implemented until 2017-18 and many policy details are still to be worked through. Equality impact assessments are however carried out for individual policies where there is a requirement..
	The first UK Government report to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, about implementation of the convention on the rights of persons with disabilities, was published in November 2011. The report set out how the obligations of the convention are being met across the UK. The Government's programme of reform across welfare, employment support, social care and education will build on the achievement assessed in that report, and help make the system work better for disabled people. In addition, my Department is developing a new cross-government Disability Strategy, co-produced with disabled people. The strategy will take the convention and its obligations as its basis. The strategy will be monitored to assess its impact, and my Department is looking at how to achieve this, through various means, including for example, gathering information on the lived experience of disabled people.

Stress

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will provide an assessment of the top largest causes of work-based stress.

Chris Grayling: From research carried out in 1993 the Health and Safety Executive identified that issues relating to demands, control, support, relationships, role and change in the workplace are associated with work-related stress.
	The most recent Psychosocial Working Conditions Survey of Great Britain, conducted in 2010, shows that these six areas remain significant indicators of work-related stress.

Stress

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessments the Department have made on the effects of work-based stress on (a) productivity, (b) personal relationships, (c) physical health, (d) mental health and (e) personal finance.

Chris Grayling: The Department has not made any specific assessments of the effects of work-based stress on the areas you have identified. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has produced guidance on the management of work-related stress and further information is available on HSE's website.

Travel

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many journeys (a) Ministers and (b) officials from his Department made by (i) train, (ii) coach and (iii) Government car in an official capacity in each of the last six months.

Chris Grayling: In line with the Government's austerity agenda, the Department for Work and Pensions has taken vigorous action to enhance business travel policy. The DWP's business travel policy actively discourages travel, unless the alternatives have been examined and exhausted and where travel is deemed appropriate, requires the use of the most cost effective modes of transport.
	This information should also be viewed in the context of a Department employing around 100,000 staff across in excess of 1000 sites across the UK, including fraud investigators and home visit teams.
	Section 10 of the Ministerial Code provides guidance on travel for Ministers and makes clear that Ministers must ensure that they always make efficient and cost-effective travel arrangements. The ministerial team has led the department's travel cost reduction programme by example, as shown by the reduction in overall travel expenditure by ministers.
	The following tables sets out the information requested.
	
		
			 (a) Journeys made by Minister in an official capacity (1) 
			  October 2011 November 2011 December 2011 January 2012 February 2012 March 2012 
			 (i) Train(2) 8 16 0 16 5 16 
			 (ii) Coach(3) 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 (iii) Government car(4) 52 60 33 59 47 58 
		
	
	
		
			 (b) Journeys made by official from the Department for Work and Pensions in an official capacity (1) 
			  October 2011 November 2011 December 2011 January 2012 February 2012 March 2012 
			 (i) Train(2) 18,902 20,526 11,667 24,990 24,305 23,371 
			 (ii) Coach(3) n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 (iii) Government car(4) 0 2 0 0 0 0 
			 (1) The business travel policy actively discourages travel, unless the alternatives have been examined and exhausted and where travel is deemed appropriate, requires the use of the most cost effective modes of transport. (2) A train (return trip) is calculated as two journeys. (3) Not available. Coach travel is not captured by individual journeys. (4) Since May 2010 the Department has reduced its number of ministerial cars from six to one. The total ministerial spend on taxi and private hire vehicles for the period May 2010 to April 2011 was £115,000 compared to expenditure of £607,000 for the comparable period from May 2009 i.e. an 81% reduction.

Unemployment: North-east

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the effect of reductions in public expenditure on the rate of female unemployment in the north east.

Chris Grayling: No specific assessment has been made. However, the number of women aged 16 to 64 in work in the north-east has remained stable over the last year, while the number not in work has fallen slightly both in absolute terms and as a proportion of the population. Within this, female unemployment has risen by 6,000 on the year, to 57,000, driven by falling inactivity—down 7,000, to 266,000—as more women have joined the labour force.

Universal Credit

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to his Department's response to the report by the Social Security Advisory Committee on Universal Credit: the impact on passported benefits, what definition of healthy school food his Department uses.

Chris Grayling: The Department's response to the Social Security Advisory Committee report uses the definition of ‘healthy school food’ set down by the Department for Education. This is:
	“Food that meets the school food standards set out in The Education (Nutritional Standards and Requirements for School Food) (England) Regulations 2007.”

Universal Credit

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 8 March 2012, Official Report, column 848W, on universal credit, which organisations and interests are represented in the membership of the Business and IT Solutions Steering Group; for what reason local authorities are represented; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Grayling: The Business and IT Solutions Steering Group is responsible for the detailed design and development of an assured universal credit solution that supports the successful delivery of the universal credit service design.
	The universal credit programme recognises the importance of working with key stakeholders to inform the design and delivery of universal credit. This has been reflected in the current membership of the Business and IT Solutions Steering Group which includes senior officials from the Department for Work and Pensions, HM Revenue and Customs, Department for Communities and Local Government, Northern Ireland Social Security Agency and interests from key suppliers such as HP, Accenture, BT and IBM.
	The Department for Communities and Local Government is represented on this group as a key partner in the delivery of universal credit. There is no other representation from the local authority on this group.

Vacancies

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many job vacancies there were for (a) staff posts and (b) senior civil service posts in his Department on 31 March (i) 2010, (ii) 2011 and (iii) 2012; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Grayling: Please see the following tables for the answers:
	
		
			 Senior civil service figures 
			 Date Number of vacancies Number of vacancies for the year 
			 31 March 2010 2 (1)49 
			 31 March 2011 3 13 
			 31 March 2012 7 17 
			 (1) Not all filled due to restructuring 
		
	
	
		
			 Staff posts (below SCS) 
			 Date No.  of vacancies Notes 
			 31 March 2010 267 205 of these posts were for fixed term appointments and 61 posts were advertised internally 
			 31 March 2011 9 Advertised internally 
			 31 March 2012 1,184 c.200 posts internally advertised, 982 externally

Vacancies

Michael Dugher: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many (a) full-time and (b) part-time employment vacancies were advertised in Jobcentre Plus offices in (i) Barnsley East constituency and (ii) Barnsley metropolitan borough in the latest period for which figures are available.

Chris Grayling: Number of part-time and full-time vacancies in Barnsley East parliamentary constituency and Barnsley local authority, March 2012 is provided in the following table.
	
		
			 Vacancy type Barnsley East parliamentary constituency Barnsley local authority 
			 Total 261 842 
			 Full-time vacancies 218 631 
			 Part-time vacancies 43 211

Work Capability Assessment

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which contractors are undertaking work capability assessments in each region; what proportion of incapacity benefit recipients were deemed fit for work in the latest period for which figures are available; what proportion were found eligible for the employment and support allowance; how many appeals against decisions were made in the latest period for which figures are available; and what the average time taken was to settle such appeals.

Chris Grayling: The DWP contract with Atos Healthcare to perform Medical Services on behalf of the DWP commenced on 1 September 2005 and this is ongoing.
	On 15 March 2012 the Department for Work and Pensions published information on the reassessment of incapacity benefits claimants for employment and support allowance (ESA) on a national level for the first time. The report can be found on the internet at the link as follows:
	http://statistics.dwp.gov.uk/asd/workingage/index.php?page=esa_ibr
	Information on appeals is not currently available.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Affordable Housing

Alan Beith: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many completed sales took place under the (a) Social Homebuy scheme and (b) Rent to Homebuy scheme from its commencement to the end of April 2010.

Grant Shapps: Since the commencement of these schemes to the end of the 2009-10 financial year there have been 384 Social HomeBuy completions and 3,133 Rent to HomeBuy completions. The figures for Rent to HomeBuy reflect the point at which the unit was completed and not when the tenant rented the property or the point at which they took up their opportunity to purchase. Data are not collected centrally on when the opportunity to purchase under Rent to Homebuy is taken up.
	To place these figures in context, when Social HomeBuy was launched by the previous Administration, the underlying analysis was based on an assumption that it would help an extra 5,000 households a year into homeownership (ODPM, “Homebuy—expanding the opportunity to own, April 2005”, para 1.4).
	While there were no formal targets for Rent to Homebuy, up to £313 million of funding had been allocated to the scheme for 2008 to 2011 under the last Administration, according to the answer to my question of 2 March 2010, Official Report, columns 1127-1128W.

Bed and Breakfast Accommodation

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the proportion of households placed in bed and breakfast accommodation who remained in place for more than six weeks in the latest period for which figures are available.

Grant Shapps: The Department does not collect information on the total number of households that had been in bed and breakfast accommodation for more than six weeks.
	More generally, statistical releases on Statutory Homelessness are available both in the Library of the House and via the DCLG website:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/housing/housingresearch/housingstatistics/housingstatisticsby/homelessnessstatistics/publicationshomelessness/

Council Tax Benefits

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will place in the Library a copy of the responses received from local authorities replying to his consultation on localising support for council tax benefit in England.

Bob Neill: holding answer 2 February 2012
	The Department has placed in the Library of the House a copy of the detailed summary of the 400 responses to the consultation.

Councillors: Allowances

Eric Ollerenshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether he has any plans to amend the Local Authorities (Members' Allowances) (England) Regulations 2003 to allow co-opted councillors to claim allowances; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Neill: The Local Authorities (Members' Allowances) (England) Regulations 2003, which the Government currently has no plans to amend, provide for co-opted members of principal councils to receive an allowance for attending conferences and meetings, if that is what the council decides, after receiving recommendations about a scheme of allowances from its independent remuneration panel. The regulations also allow co-opted members of parish councils to receive travelling and subsistence allowances.

Councillors: Training

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether Ministers have the power to make payments to the National Association of Local Councils for the purposes of training and development of town and parish councillors.

Bob Neill: The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, my right hon. Friend the Member for Brentwood and Ongar (Mr Pickles), has powers under the Charities Act 2006 to give financial assistance to any charitable, benevolent or philanthropic institution, including organisations such as the National Association of Local Councils, in respect of any of the institution’s activities.
	As part of the Supporting Communities in Neighbourhood Planning scheme, my Department funds the Council for the Protection of Rural England, who are working in partnership with the National Association of Local Councils, to support communities wishing to do neighbourhood planning. As part of this funding, the Council for the Protection of Rural England and the National Association of Local Councils have provided skills and training on neighbourhood planning to town and parish councils and community groups.

Diamond Jubilee 2012: Religion

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what funding he has allocated to encourage faith communities in the UK to organise services to celebrate HM the Queen’s diamond jubilee; for what purposes; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Stunell: No funding has been allocated to faith communities to organise services to mark the diamond jubilee, as it is not the role of Government to fund religious worship. However, we are keen to see people from all faiths and those of no religious beliefs coming together to mark this landmark in our country’s history. My Department is facilitating A Year of Service, a programme that is celebrating and linking up faith-based volunteering throughout the year. This is enabling people of different faiths to join together to mark the jubilee through practical action to benefit their communities. Ministers are also strongly encouraging support for the many local and neighbourhood celebrations being organised, including the big jubilee lunch, a large number of which have the active participation of faith communities.

E-mail

John Denham: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what his policy is on the period for which emails sent and received by (a) Ministers, (b) officials, and (c) special advisers in his Department are retained; and whether such emails are recoverable from the IT systems in his Department after that period.

Bob Neill: E-mail messages that form part of the official record are saved for as long as business needs require and stored corporately in accordance with departmental record management procedures.

Homelessness

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment he has made of whether local authorities placing homeless households in accommodation in other areas are notifying the receiving authority in all cases; and if he will make a statement.

Grant Shapps: It is neither acceptable nor fair for local authorities to arbitrarily place households in accommodation very far away from their local area.
	Under the homelessness legislation local authorities must secure accommodation within their own borough so far as reasonably practicable. If they secure accommodation in the district of another local authority, they must notify the other authority in writing.
	In all cases local authorities must be satisfied that the accommodation is suitable for the applicant and his or her household. In considering 'Suitability' authorities must, by law, consider whether a specific property is suitable for the applicant and their household's particular individual needs. This includes the location of accommodation.
	We have provided £190 million to help families in difficult situations. We want to be assured that local authorities are making full use of this funding.

Homelessness

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the (a) actual and (b) percentage change in the number of (i) homelessness applications, (ii) homelessness acceptances and (iii) households in bed and breakfast accommodation was in each English local authority area between May 2010 and the most recent month for which figures are available.

Grant Shapps: holding answer 22 March 2012
	Statistical releases on Statutory Homelessness are available both in the Library of the House and via the DCLG website:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/housing/housingresearch/housingstatistics/housingstatisticsby/homelessnessstatistics/publicationshomelessness/
	I recently announced additional funding of £70 million this year to tackle and prevent rough sleeping and prevent repossessions. This comes on top of the existing £400 million homelessness grant this Government has protected over the next four years.

Housing: Coventry

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many households in Coventry South constituency are classified as Type-1 Hazards.

Andrew Stunell: Data are not collected at constituency level but are reported for local authority areas. Estimates of the number of dwellings with category 1 hazards under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System are reported by local authorities through the Housing Strategy Statistical Appendix. The latest data relate to 2010-11 and are available on the Department's website at:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/housing/housingresearch/housingstatistics/housingstatisticsby/localauthorityhousing/dataforms/hssabpsa1011/hssadatareturns1011/

Housing: Coventry

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many empty homes there are in Coventry South constituency.

Andrew Stunell: Data on empty homes can be found in the Department for Communities and Local Government live tables on dwelling stock. Live table 615 shows empty homes by local authority district. Data is not available by parliamentary constituency.
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/housing/housingresearch/housingstatistics/housingstatisticsby/stockincludingvacants/livetables/

Housing: Vulnerable Adults

Tristram Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether he is taking steps to prevent the re-housing of vulnerable people from areas of high rental prices to low.

Grant Shapps: It is neither acceptable nor fair for local authorities to arbitrarily place households very far away from their home area.
	For households who are homeless through no fault of their own, eligible and in priority need, local authorities must under the homelessness legislation secure accommodation within their own borough so far as reasonably practicable. Local authorities must have, by law, regard to the statutory guidance, which states that
	“housing authorities should wherever possible, secure accommodation that is as close as possible to where they were previously living”.
	We have provided £190 million to help families in difficult situations. We want to be assured that local authorities are making full use of this funding.

Manpower

Stephen Barclay: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many people were employed in interim posts by (a) his Department and (b) a non-ministerial department or arm's length body controlled by the Department through (i) Penna Consulting, (ii) Reed Personnel Services and (iii) Capita Resourcing Ltd (trading as Veredus) on the latest date for which figures are available; and how many such people (A) had been in post for over a year and (B) worked full-time at that date.

Bob Neill: holding answer 26 March 2012
	The following tables set out the number of people employed in interim posts in the Department for Communities and Local Government and its arm’s length bodies through Reed Personal Services and Capita Resourcing (although not through their Veredus trading name) as at 29 February 2012.
	
		
			  Reed Personal Services of which have been in post over a year of which work full time 
			 DCLG 17 3 14 
			 Infrastructure Planning Commission 1 1 1 
			 Valuation Tribunal Service 2 0 2 
			 The Audit Commission 1 1 1 
		
	
	
		
			  Capita Resourcing Ltd of which have been in post over a year of which work full time 
			 DCLG 33 4 30 
			 Fire Service College 1 0 1 
			 Homes and Communities Agency 1 0 1 
			 Infrastructure Planning Commission 1 0 0 
			 Standards Board for England 1 0 1 
		
	
	Please note the above tables include all agency staff, interims and contractors employed through Reed and Capita as at 29 February 2012. No temporary staff were employed through Penna Consulting on that date.
	The Department interims employed via Reed are for the administration of electoral claims on behalf of the Electoral Commission. The Department interims employed via Capita are primarily specialist technical posts relating to audit, procurement and finance.

Mayor of London: Taxation

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what representations his Department and its predecessors received from the Mayor of London on granting the Mayor taxation-related powers between May 2000 and May 2008; and what assessment he has made of the potential effect of such taxes.

Bob Neill: My Department received representations from the then Mayor of London about local taxation in the context of the 2006 Lyons Inquiry and also in the context of the Balance of Funding Review. Copies of the Greater London Authority's responses to both have been placed in the Library of the House.
	There were also extensive discussions with the Greater London Authority about the implementation of a business rate supplement for Crossrail in 2007 which fed into the Business Rate Supplement Act 2009.

Meden Valley Partnership

Alan Meale: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  what funding from the public purse has been allocated to Meden Valley Making Places by year since the inception of the organisation;
	(2)  what payment from the public purse has been made to board members of Meden Valley Making Places by year since the inception of the organisation;
	(3)  what information his Department holds on whether public funds, other than central Government funds, have been made available to Meden Valley Making Places;
	(4)  what information the Homes and Communities Agency holds on how many properties have been bought by Meden Valley Making Places by year since the inception of the organisation;
	(5)  what information the Homes and Communities Agency holds on individual valuations made on each property purchased by Meden Valley Making Places and when each valuation was made in each year since the inception of the organisation;
	(6)  what information the Homes and Communities Agency holds on which individuals and companies sold properties to Meden Valley Making Places, in each year since the inception of the organisation;
	(7)  what information the Homes and Communities Agency holds on the purchase of properties by Meden Valley Making Places; on what date each property was purchased; what the price paid was for each property; and if he will publish any such information held;
	(8)  what information the Homes and Communities Agency holds on the present-day estimated value of the land and properties purchased by Meden Valley Making Places; and if he will publish any such information held;
	(9)  whether the Homes and Communities Agency has taken steps to ensure the future availability of all financial records connected to Meden Valley Making Places;
	(10)  what information the Homes and Communities Agency holds on the offers made on properties purchased by Meden Valley Making Places and to whom those offers were made; and if he will publish any such information held;
	(11)  what information the Homes and Communities Agency holds on incidents involving a change of ownership of properties purchased by Meden Valley Making Places after initial offers to purchase them were made; and if he will publish any such information held.

Grant Shapps: The Department for Communities and Local Government (formerly the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister) approved funding to Meden Valley Making Places in December 2004 of £25.81 million as part of the Homes and Communities Agency’s (formerly English Partnerships’) contribution to the gross public sector funding of £36.86 million. East Midlands Development Agency provided £7.4 million for the project either to Meden Valley Making Places or to the local authorities involved (Mansfield and Bolsover district councils). The local authorities also supported the project by providing land and property (including individual house purchases in advance). The Homes and Communities Agency are not currently able to account for funding allocation year by year. It would not be possible to gather the more detailed information requested before Prorogation.
	The Homes and Communities Agency’s understanding is that board members were appointed on a voluntary basis and no salaries were attached to the appointments.
	Neither the Department nor the Homes and Communities Agency currently has information on non central Government public funds. Financial closure of the company, which ceased trading on 31 December 2011, is being handled by external auditors. Financial information on non central Government public funds would be available from them.
	All properties were purchased with the agreement of the relevant local authorities and with the compulsory purchase orders raised between 2004 and 2006. Meden Valley Making Places purchased properties by agreement in advance of the compulsory purchase order/general vesting declaration and some were acquired following confirmation. All properties purchased by Meden Valley Making Places had an independent verification of the purchase price by a Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors qualified valuer. Information relating to compulsory purchase orders is held by the Homes and Communities Agency’s external solicitors. The number of properties purchased would be in excess of 500 but it must be taken into account that the local authorities acquired properties directly in advance of the Meden Valley Making Places compulsory purchase order.
	Land and properties in the ownership of Meden Valley Making Places, the Homes and Communities Agency and local authorities were disposed of either to registered providers or on the open market to private house builders.
	The Homes and Communities Agency do not hold any information on the present-day estimated value of land and properties purchased by Meden Valley Making Places.
	In terms of the future availability of financial records, Meden Valley Making Places’ final audited accounts will be available in late summer this year.
	The Homes and Communities Agency does not hold information relating to offers made on land and properties. General property files for individual properties were transferred by Meden Valley Making Places to the appropriate local authorities (Mansfield and Bolsover district councils) as those responsible for the local area.
	The Homes and Communities Agency would need to investigate the secure information that they hold or the files held by the appropriate local authorities to answer the question relating to change of ownership post initial offer. It would not be possible to gather this information before Prorogation.

Planning Permission

Roberta Blackman-Woods: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether the duty to co-operate in section 110 of the Localism Act will apply to qualifying bodies for the purposes of neighbourhood plans.

Greg Clark: The duty to cooperate focuses on strategic, cross-boundary matters delivered through the Local plan. Neighbourhood plans are required to be in general conformity with the strategic priorities of the Local plan so this is where any strategic issues in the Neighbourhood plan will be considered.
	The Government expects local authorities to work collaboratively when dealing with cross-boundary neighbourhood proposals, either through formal or informal arrangements.

Regulation

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many regulations his Department repealed between 1 June 2011 and 31 January 2012; and if he will estimate the potential savings in each case.

Bob Neill: holding answer 14 March 2012
	DCLG is committed to removing needless bureaucracy and unnecessary burdens. The Localism Act received Royal Assent in November 2011, and has freed local Government from central and regional control.
	The Localism Act removes the requirements on home sellers and buyers to obtain a Home Information Pack, saving an estimated £41 million in administrative costs. It also introduces Neighbourhood Plans which cut red tape on planning application processes, reducing around £14 million of administrative burdens.
	I also refer the hon. Member to my Department's Second Statement of New Regulation, which outlines five measures to reduce the burdens on business by an estimated £4.26 million over this period.
	A list of the statutory instruments which were revoked between 1 June 2011 and 31 January 2012 is listed in the following table. Statutory instruments should not necessarily be viewed as regulations—they are pieces of secondary legislation which ensure policy measures have parliamentary oversight.
	
		
			 Revoking SI Revoked Sis from 1 June 2011 and 31 January 2012 Impact 
			 The European Regional Development Fund (Operational Programmes) Regulations 2011 European Regional Development Fund (West Midlands Operational Programme) (Implementation) Regulations 2007 The revocation will have no impact on the private or voluntary sector, and will not impose any additional burdens on the public sector. 
			  European Regional Development Fund (Yorkshire and the Humber Operational Programme) (Implementation) Regulations 2007  
			  European Regional Development Fund (South East Operational Programme) (Implementation) Regulations 2007  
			  European Regional Development Fund (North East Operational Programme) (Implementation) Regulations 2007  
			  European Regional Development Fund (North West Operational Programme) (Implementation) Regulations 2007  
			  European Regional Development Fund (South West Operational Programmes) (Implementation) Regulations 2007  
			  European Regional Development Fund (East of England Operational Programme) (Implementation) Regulations 2007  
			  European Regional Development Fund (East Midlands Operational Programme) (implementation) Regulations 2007  
			    
			 The Town and Country Planning (Compensation) (England) Regulations 2011 The Town and Country Planning (Compensation) (No. 3) (England) Regulations 2010 Overall the introduction of this legislation will benefit householders and local authorities £23.3 million 
			    
			 The Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2011 The Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) (England and Wales) Regulations 1999 (revoked or England only) The revocation of this legislation will not impact on the private, voluntary or public sector. For further details of the overall effect of the legislation see associated impact assessment: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2011/1824 
			  The Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) (England and Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2000 (revoked for England only)  
			  The Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2008 (revoked for England only)  
			    
			 The Cambridge City Fringes Joint Committee (Revocation) Order 2011 Cambridge City Fringes Joint Committee Order No impact on business, charities or voluntary bodies. This revocation has a positive impact on the public sector as will support increasing local responsibility and decision making. 
			    
		
	
	
		
			 The Local Authorities (Referendums) (Petitions) (England) Regulations 2011 Local Authorities (Referendums) (Petitions and Directions) (England) Regulations 2000 The revocation of this legislation has no impact on the private, voluntary, public sectors. 
			  Local Authorities (Referendums) (Petitions and Directions) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2001  
			  Local Authorities (Referendums) (Petitions and Directions) (England) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2001  
			  Local Authorities (Referendums) (Petitions and Directions) (England) (Amendment) (No. 3) Regulations 2001  
			    
			 The Local Authorities (Conduct of Referendums) (England) Regulations 2012 The Local Authorities (Conduct of Referendums) (England) Regulations 2007(1) This revocation has no impact on business, charities or voluntary bodies. 
			    
			 The Local Government (Discretionary Payments) (Injury Allowances) Regulations 2011 Local Government (Discretionary Payments) Regulations 1996(1) (“the 1996 Regulations”) There will be minimal impact on local government and there is no impact on business, charities or voluntary bodies. 
			    
			 The Non-Domestic Rating (Small Business Rate Relief) (England) Order 2012 The Non-Domestic Rating (Small Business Rate Relief) (England) Order 2004 The revocation and new legislation will reduce burdens on small businesses by £3 million. For further information see associated impact assessment: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2012/148/impacts

Regulation

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what regulations his Department introduced between 1 June 2011 and 31 January 2012; and at what cost to the public purse.

Bob Neill: holding answer 15 March 2012
	The Department made 34 statutory instruments between 1 June 2011 and 31 January 2012 which are listed as follows. Statutory instruments should not necessarily be viewed as regulations—they are pieces of secondary legislation which ensure policy and functional measures have parliamentary scrutiny and oversight.
	Of these 34, 11 were deregulatory or otherwise beneficial to business; one was regulatory (implementing an EU directive), the remainder had no quantifiable impact on the private and voluntary sectors. I have placed in the Library a table with the savings and costings where relevant, based on the explanatory memorandums and impact assessments which are in the public domain.
	In that context, my Department introduced one regulation, on a 1-in 11-out basis.
	
		
			 Statutory instruments   
			 2011 No. 1398 European Communities, England—The European Regional Development Fund (Operational Programmes) Regulations 2011 No impact on the private and voluntary sectors 
			 2011 No. 1399 Local Government, England—The Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980 (Amendment of Schedule 16) (England) Order 2011 No impact on the private and voluntary sectors 
			 2011 No. 1455 Town and Country Planning, England—The South East Lincolnshire Joint Strategic Planning Committee Order 2011 No impact on the private and voluntary sectors 
			 2011 No. 1515 Building and Buildings, England and Wales—The Building (Amendment) Regulations 2011 Deregulatory. Net Present Value benefit of £19.16 million over 10 years. The equivalent annual net benefit for business is an estimated £2.30 million 
			 2011 No. 1589 The Town and Country Planning, England—The Town and Country Planning General (Amendment)(England) Regulations 2011 No impact on the private and voluntary sectors 
			 2011 No. 1664 Rating and Valuation, England—The Non-Domestic Rating (Small Business Rate Relief)(England)(Amendment)Order 2011 Beneficial effect for business, by increasing the small business rate relief holiday, implementing a tax cut 
			 2011 No. 1665 Rating and Valuation, England—The Non-Domestic Rating (Collection and Enforcement)(Local Lists)(Amendment)(England)(No. 2) Regulations 2011 Beneficial effect for business, by increasing the small business rate relief holiday, implementing a tax cut 
			 2011 No. 1824 Town and Country Planning, England—The Town and Country Planning General (Environmental Impact Assessment)(England) Regulations 2011 The Regulatory Policy Committee has advised that the measure should be treated as an 'out' with a value of zero. The overall impact is therefore deregulatory 
			 2011 No. 2008 Architects—The Architects (Recognition of European Qualifications) Regulations 2011 No impact on the private and voluntary sectors 
			 2011 No. 2054 (C.75) Infrastructure Planning—The Planning Act 2008 (Commencement No. 7) Order 2011 Simply a commencement order to initiate provisions on infrastructure passed earlier in the Planning Act 2008 
			 2011 No. 2055 Infrastructure Planning—The Infrastructure Planning (Changes to, and Revocation of, Development Consent Orders) Regulations 2011 Deregulatory. Net Present Value benefit of £6 million over 10 years. The equivalent annual net benefit for business is an estimated £0.69 million 
			 2011 No. 2056 Town and Country Planning, England—The Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development)(Amendment)(England) Order 2011 Deregulatory by extending permitted development rights. Net Present Value of £23.3 million + £10.4 million from two sets of reforms over ten years(1) 
			 2011 No. 2057 Town and Country Planning—The Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements)(England)(Amendment) Regulations 2011 (1)— 
		
	
	
		
			 2011 No. 2058 Town and Country Planning, England—The Town and Country Planning (Compensation)(England) Regulations 2011 (1)— 
			 2011 No. 2227 Derelict Land, England—The Derelict Land Clearance Area (Highbarns, Hemel Hempstead) Order 2011 No impact on the private and voluntary sectors 
			 2011 No. 2752 Urban Development, England—The West Northamptonshire Development Corporation (Area and Constitution) (Amendment) Order 2011 No impact on the private and voluntary sectors 
			 2011 No. 2452 Building and Buildings, England and Wales—The Energy Performance of Buildings (Certificates and Inspections)(England and Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2011 Regulatory, implementing an EU Directive. Impact Assessment has Net Present Value of -£4 million and -£1.1 million over 10 years 
			 2011 No. 2562 Derelict Land, England—The Derelict Land Clearance Area (Chantry Lane, Welwyn Hatfield) Order 2011 No impact on the private and voluntary sectors 
			 2011 No. 2728 Town and Country Planning, England—The Cambridge City Fringes Joint Committee (Revocation) Order 2011 No impact on the private and voluntary sectors 
			 2011 No. 2741 Infrastructure Planning—The Infrastructure Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) (Amendment) Regulations 2011 Implementing an EU Directive; no costs or benefits have been monetised 
			 2011 No. 2743 Rating and Valuation, England—The Central Rating List (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2011 No impact on the private and voluntary sectors 
			 2011 No. 2896 (C. 103) Council Tax, England and Wales Local Government, England Rating and Valuation, England—The Localism Act 2011 (Commencement No. 1 and Transitional Provisions) Order 2011 Commencement order to implement Localism Act provisions, related to local government; includes powers to levy new business rate discounts 
			 2011 No. 2914 Local Government, England—The Local Authorities (Referendums) (Petitions) (England) Regulations 2011 No impact on the private and voluntary sectors 
			 2012 No. 2918 Contracting Out, England and Wales—The Local Authorities (Contracting Out of Community Infrastructure Levy Functions) Order 2011 No additional cost on the private and voluntary sectors 
			 2011 No. 2954 Pensions, England and Wales—The Local Government (Discretionary Payments) (Injury Allowances) Regulations 2011 No impact on the private . and voluntary sectors 
			 2011 No. 2993 Rating and Valuation, England—The Non-Domestic Rating Contributions (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2011 No impact on the private and voluntary sectors 
			 2011 No. 3038 Council Tax, England—The Council Tax (Demand Notices) (England) Regulations 2011 No impact on the private and voluntary sectors 
			 2011 No. 3048 European Parliament—The Members of the European Parliament (Salaries of Members of the Greater London Authority) Order 2011 No impact on the private and voluntary sectors 
			 2012 No. 15 London Government—The Greater London Authority (Consolidated Council Tax Requirement Procedure) Regulations 2012 No impact on the private and voluntary sectors 
			 2012 No. 20 Local Government—The Local Government (Structural Changes) (Finance) (Amendment) Regulations 2012 No impact on the private and voluntary sectors 
			 2012 No. 24 Rating and Valuation, England—The Non-Domestic Rating (Collection and Enforcement) (Amendment) (England) Order 2012 No impact on the private and voluntary sectors 
			 2012 No. 25 Rating and Valuation, England—The Non-Domestic Rating (Electronic Communications) (England) Order 2012 No impact on the private and voluntary sectors 
			 2012 No. 57 (C.2) Community Infrastructure Levy, England and Wales Infrastructure Planning Housing, England and Wales Local Government, England and Wales Town and Country Planning, England and Wales—The Localism Act 2011 (Commencement No. 2 and Transitional and Saving Provision) Order 2012 Commencement order to implement Localism Act provisions; includes cancellation of backdated business rates liability 
			 2012 No. 148 Rating and Valuation, England—The Non-Domestic Rating (Small Business Rate Relief) (England) Order 2012 Deregulatory, by helping implement automation of small business rate relief, following Localism Act 
			 (1 )Indicates brace

Travelling People: Coventry

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many (a) legal and (b) illegal Traveller sites there are in Coventry South constituency.

Andrew Stunell: The bi-annual Count of Gypsy and Traveller Caravans shows the number of Traveller caravans on authorised and unauthorised sites, and lists the Traveller sites provided by local authorities and other registered providers, in each local authority area in England.
	The latest published count for which figures are available was undertaken in July 2011 and found that in Coventry there were no sites provided by the local authority or by other registered providers and six caravans on authorised private sites. There were no caravans on unauthorised sites.
	The Count of Gypsy and Traveller Caravans can be viewed on the Department for Communities and Local Government website at:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/corporate/statistics/caravancountjul2011
	The results of the January 2012 count are due to be published on the Department's website on 31 May.

Wind Power

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether he plans to increase the minimum distance between wind turbines and dwellings.

Bob Neill: Planning policy does not include an exclusion zone between wind turbines and dwellings. Rather, impacts should be assessed on a case by case basis taking into account the context, such as the local topography.

Written Questions: Government Responses

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when he plans to answer question 93236, on localising support for council tax benefit.

Bob Neill: Question 93236 was answered today.

Written Questions: Government Responses

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when he plans to answer question 97985, on training of town and parish councillors.

Bob Neill: Question 97985 was answered today.

TREASURY

Addison Lee

Ian Austin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his Department has had recent discussions with Addison Lee on whether their drivers are considered to be employed or self-employed.

David Gauke: HM Treasury has had no meetings with Addison Lee about whether their drivers are employed or self-employed.
	HM Revenue and Customs are not able to comment on who they meet or the nature of any meetings they hold with taxpayers.

British Sky Broadcasting: News Corporation

John Mann: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish all emails between representatives of (a) News Corp and (b) BSkyB and special advisers in his Department in the last two years.

Chloe Smith: holding answer 30 April 2012
	There is e-mail contact between special advisers and all broadcasting and media organisations regarding press lines and logistics. Available records contain no e-mails between representatives of News Corp or BskyB and special advisers regarding government policy.

EU Budget

Martin Horwood: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what proportion of the tax revenue raised from a person on the average national income was paid by the UK to the EU in the latest period for which figures are available; what proportion of such payment to the EU was spent in the UK in financial year 2010-11; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how much and what proportion of tax paid by a UK taxpayer on the average national income was allocated to the EU budget in the latest period for which figures are available;
	(3)  what proportion of the tax paid by a British taxpayer on the average national income was spent on (a) welfare, (b) national debt, (c) health, (d) education, (e) government administration, (f) public order, (g) defence, (h) housing, (i) infrastructure, agriculture and industry, (j) the EU budget, (k) overseas aid, (l) recreation, religion and culture, (m) environment and (n) other matters in financial year 2010-11; and if he will make a statement.

David Gauke: holding answer 23 April 2012
	The vast majority of taxes and receipts are not hypothecated to specific expenditure and therefore making a direct connection between public sector receipts and what they are spent on is not possible.
	The answer given in the following table is illustrative and assumes that the income tax receipts and NICs from a taxpayer on average income is used to fund expenditure according to the breakdown of total public sector expenditure shown in table 5.2 of HM Treasury's Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses (PESA) 2011 publication.
	Average annual earnings in 2011 for employees on adult rates in the same job for more than a year was £26,871. HMRC estimate that the amount of tax and national insurance contributions paid by someone with these earnings was £6,236.
	Table 1 shows the amount of an average taxpayer's income tax and NICs spent on the requested categories.
	
		
			 Table 1 
			 Category (1) Expenditure 2010-11 (£ million) Percentage of total expenditure 2010-11 Amount of an average taxpayer's income tax and NICs spent in 2010-11 (£) 
			 (a) welfare 231,573 34.8 2,170 
			 (b) public sector debt interest(2) 44,136 6.6 412 
			 (c) health 121,305 18.2 1,135 
			 (d) education 90,553 13.6 848 
			 (e) government administration(3) 11,450 1.7 106 
			 (f) public order and safety 33,614 5.1 318 
			 (g) defence 39,065 5.9 368 
			 (h) housing 13,706 2.1 131 
			 (i) infrastructure, agriculture and industry(4) 39,983 6.0 374 
			 (j) the EU budget(5) 3,076 0.5 31 
			 (k) overseas aid(6) 6,483 1.0 62 
			 (l) recreation, culture and religion 13,962 2.1 131 
			 (m) environment 11,998 1.8 112 
			 (n) other(7) 4,383 0.7 44 
			 Total 665,287 100 6,236 
			 (1) Categories are derived from PESA 2011, table 5.2. (2) Equivalent to item 1.7 under General public services in table 5.2, PESA 2011. (3) Equivalent to item 1.1 under General public services in table 5.2, PESA 2011. (4) Equivalent to Total economic affairs in table 5.2, PESA 2011. (5) Equivalent to Total EU transactions in table 5.2, PESA 2011. (6) Equivalent to item 1.2 under General public services in table 5.2, PESA 2011. (7) Equivalent to items 1.3,1.4,1.5 and 1.6 under General public services in table 5.2, PESA 2011. 
		
	
	The UK's Gross national income—based contribution to the EU, net of abatement and collection costs, in 2010-11 was £7.7 billion, of which approximately £4.6 billion, or 60%, was spent in the UK (this includes attributed aid and common foreign and security policy spending).
	This was 1.1 of total public sector expenditure and the equivalent proportion of an average taxpayer's income tax and NIC's is £69.
	The amount allocated to the EU Budget, net of the UK abatement, refund for collection costs, public sector receipts from the EU and attributed aid and common foreign and security policy spending was £3.1 billion in 2010-11. This was 0.5% of total public sector expenditure.
	The equivalent proportion of an average tax payer's income tax and NICS is £31.

EU Internal Trade

William Cash: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the level of the current account transaction for goods and services between the UK and EU member states in each of the last five years; and what assessment he has made of the level of debt on the reduction of the deficit.

Mark Hoban: The Office for National Statistics report the trade balance in goods and services with the EU to have been -£35 billion in 2007, -£29 billion in 2008, -£26 billion in 2009, -£32 billion in 2010 and -£25 billion in 2011. The total current account balance with the EU was -£38 billion in 2007, -£6 billion in 2008, -£12 billion in 2009, -£48 billion in 2010 and -£41 billion in 2011.
	The independent Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) forecast that the Government is on course to meet its target for debt, laid out in the 2010 June Budget. This is for public sector net debt as a percentage of GDP to be falling by 2015-16. According to the OBR's March 2012 Economic and Fiscal Outlook, public sector net debt is forecast to peak at 76.3% of GDP in 2014-15.

Financial Services: Complaints

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  whether he has had discussions with the Financial Ombudsman on the number of small and medium-sized enterprises or their owners that have submitted complaints to the Financial Ombudsman in (a) Coventry and (b) England in the last month;
	(2)  whether any medium-sized enterprises or their owners that have submitted complaints to the Financial Ombudsman in the last month have had their complaint upheld.

Mark Hoban: The matters raised are for the Financial Ombudsman Service (FSO), whose day-to-day operations are independent from government control and influence. I have asked the FOS to write to the hon. Member with the information requested. A copy of the response will be placed in the Library of the House.

Income Tax

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what estimate his Department has made of the additional number of people who will pay the 40 per cent income tax rate as a result of his changes to rates of taxation in (a) Denton and Reddish constituency, (b) England and (c) the UK in each of the next five years;
	(2)  how many people in Denton and Reddish constituency were paying the 40 per cent tax rate in each of the last five years for which data is available.

David Gauke: Projections of the number of higher and additional rate taxpayers for England and the UK up to 2012-13 are published on the HMRC website in tables 2.1 and 2.2 respectively:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/income_tax/menu.htm
	Estimates for projected years are not available at the parliamentary constituency level due to small sample sizes and greater uncertainties in making projections for small geographical areas.
	Outturn estimates of higher rate taxpayer numbers in Denton and Reddish constituency are subject to significant uncertainties due to limited survey sample size. They have ranged between one and two thousand in the period 2004-05 to 2009-10, rounded to the nearest thousand.

Inheritance Tax

Michael Meacher: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what changes he is making to the inheritance tax exemption for non-domiciled taxpayers; how much money will be allowed to be transferred between spouses and civil partners; what estimate he has made of the annual revenue forgone over each of the next five years; and how many people he expects to benefit from such changes in each of these years.

David Gauke: The Government intends to increase the maximum amount that a UK-domiciled individual can transfer to their non-UK domiciled spouse or civil partner free of inheritance tax (IHT) from its current level of £55,000. This change will be included in Finance Bill 2013 and will be subject to technical consultation.
	Alongside that the Government intends to allow individuals who are domiciled outside the UK and who have a UK-domiciled spouse or civil partner to elect to be treated as domiciled in the UK for the purposes of IHT. Where an election was made transfers between spouses or civil partners would be exempt from IHT, but the electing individual would henceforth become liable to IHT on their worldwide assets, not just those in the UK. It is expected that in many cases where a transfer would otherwise be subject to the limit referred to above the recipient will make the election.
	Taken together these changes provide a balanced approach to the risk that an individual whose domicile is outside the UK may remove assets from the scope of IHT by placing them offshore. Where that risk exists the amount that may be transferred to a non-UK domiciled spouse or civil partner free of IHT will be capped at a level equivalent to the prevailing IHT nil-rate band. Where there is no such risk, because the transferee is prepared to opt into UK-domicile treatment for IHT purposes—thereby making their worldwide assets potentially liable to IHT—transfers will not be capped.
	The projected cost of these changes were included in Table 2.1 of the Budget 2012 document (line 31):
	http://cdn.hm-treasury.gov.uk/budget2012_complete.pdf

Interest Rate Swap Transactions

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his Department has conducted or plans to conduct an investigation into the misselling of interest rate swap agreements by banks in the UK.

Mark Hoban: The Financial Services Authority (FSA) is currently carrying out a review of this issue. As part of this, the FSA are considering additional information from the small businesses that purchased these products, to help them better quantify the size of the issue and to establish whether any banks have failed to comply with their obligations under the FSA Conduct of Business Sourcebook. Any potential next steps will be considered following the results of this report.

Legal Costs

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much his Department spent on fees for legal work in (a) 2010-11 and (b) 2011-12; and if he will make a statement.

Chloe Smith: The information requested in the format requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	HM Treasury is able to provide the total amounts of legal expenditure incurred by HMT and its Executive agencies (DMO and APA), over the requisite periods, as recorded on its accounting system under the relevant legal costs codes. The following figures include internal and external legal spending, including all expenditure with the Treasury Solicitor (which includes the internal legal advisers to the Treasury as well as litigation services).
	
		
			  Total legal spend (£) 
			 2010-11 4,406,483.71 
			 2011-12 5,001,281.76 
		
	
	Further information on HM Treasury spending is also available online: a monthly breakdown of departmental expenditure over £25,000 (excluding VAT) can be found at:
	http://data.gov.uk/dataset/financial-transactions-data-hmt
	details of contracts with a value of over £10,000 (excluding VAT) awarded since 1 January 2011 are published online at:
	www.contractsfinder.businesslink.gov.uk

Official Hospitality

Heidi Alexander: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for which events held at (a) Dorneywood and (b) 11 Downing Street the Government has been reimbursed by (i) the Chancellor of the Exchequer and (ii) the Conservative Party; and how much was reimbursed in each case.

Chloe Smith: holding answer 18 April 2012
	As has been the case under successive Administrations, information about events in Dorneywood or No. 11 Downing street funded by the Chancellor of the Exchequer personally or by the Conservative party is not disclosed.

Ofgem

Alan Whitehead: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what amounts were transferred by Ofgem to the consolidated fund under section 1 of the Civil List Act 1952 in each year from 2009 to 2011.

Danny Alexander: The following amounts were paid by Ofgem into the Consolidated Fund under Section 1 of the Civil List Act 1952:
	2009-10: £127 million
	2010-11: £74 million
	2011-12: £87 million

PAYE

Stephen Timms: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the findings on data analysis in the Major Projects Authority's most recent review of the PAYE Real Time Information Project; and if he will make a statement.

David Gauke: holding answer 23 April 2012
	The Real Time Information (RTI) Programme has accepted and implemented all of the recommendations made by the Major Projects Authority review team. Findings in relation to data analysis have been addressed. RTI is on track and the pilot started successfully on 11 April 2012, when the first submission was received.

Procurement

Michael Dugher: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his Department's procurement spend with small and medium-sized enterprises was in (a) the fourth quarter of 2010-11, (b) the first quarter of 2011-12 and (c) the second quarter of 2011-12.

Chloe Smith: The Treasury is committed to increase the level of engagement with SMEs and remove obstacles that can make Government procurement challenging for smaller businesses.
	European Commission Recommendation 2003/361/EC (6 May 2003) defines a small and medium sized enterprise (SME) as a company with a headcount of less than 250 full-time equivalents and either an annual turnover of no more than €50 million (£41.6 million) or a balance sheet that does not exceed €43 million (£35.8 million).
	Consistent with that definition, the direct procurement spend with organisations classified by HM Treasury as small and medium-sized enterprises is shown in the following table. The figures are taken from HM Treasury's financial system. They are on a cash rather than accruals basis and exclude VAT.
	
		
			 Period £ (excluding VAT) 
			 January to March 2011 884,000 
			 April to June 2011 966,000 
			 July to September 2011 377,000

Public Sector Debt

William Cash: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the level of total public sector debt including off-balance sheet debt in each of the last five years.

Chloe Smith: The Office for National Statistics (ONS) produces a monthly estimate of public sector net debt, excluding the temporary effects of financial interventions. The monthly estimate of public sector net debt is published on the ONS website, available at
	http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/taxonomy/index.html?nscl=Public+Sector+Finance
	The following table contains the latest ONS estimate of public sector net debt, for the last five financial years.
	
		
			  Public sector net debt 
			 Financial year £ billion Percentage of GDP 
			 2007-08 527.2 36.7 
			 2008-09 606.8 43.5 
			 2009-10 760.3 52.5 
			 2010-11 905.3 60.5 
			 2011-12 1022.5 66.0 
		
	
	In November 2011 the Government produced its first Whole of Government Accounts (WGA) document for the financial year 2009/10. WGA is a consolidated set of financial statements for the UK public sector. It consolidates the audited accounts of around 1,500 organisations across the public sector, including central Government departments, local authorities, devolved Administrations, the Health Service, and public corporations, in order to produce a comprehensive, accounts-based picture of the fiscal position in any one year. This document is available on HM Treasury website at:
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/psr_government_accounts.htm
	The Statement of Financial Position sets out the assets held and liabilities owed by the Government, in a snapshot of the public sector balance sheet as at 31 March 2010. It shows that, at 31 March 2010, the public sector held assets valued at £1,208 billion and had total liabilities of £2,419 billion. The public sector therefore faced a total net liability of £1,212 billion on an International Financial Reporting Standards basis.

Revenue and Customs

Jason McCartney: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what targets HM Revenue and Customs have set in respect of the processing of tax rebate claims in full;
	(2)  what steps he is taking to reduce the average length of time taken by HM Revenue and Customs to assess and process tax rebate claims in full.

David Gauke: HMRC does not have specific published targets for processing tax rebate claims. Generally HMRC aims to deal with at least 80% of letters from customers within 15 working days. Most claims to a tax rebate are dealt with within this time scale. HMRC has significantly improved its post handling times over the past year and I expect this improvement to continue.

Sick Leave

David Ruffley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many sick days were taken by staff in his Department in each of the last three years.

Chloe Smith: The data for the financial year 1 April 2011 to 31 March 2012 is not yet available as sickness data are calculated and reported three months in arrears.
	The number of sick days that were taken by staff in HM Treasury in each of the last three years ending 31 March are as follows:
	
		
			 1 April to 31 March each year Number of sick days 
			 2010-11 4,554 
			 2009-10 4,771 
			 2008-09 4,187

Telephone Services

Tim Farron: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  whether his Department plans to review the use of 0845 telephone numbers for public services provided by his Department;
	(2)  what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness and implications of using 0845 telephone numbers in public service help lines.

Francis Maude: holding answer 30 April 2012
	I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Cabinet Office.
	It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

VAT

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  if he will reconsider his policy to introduce VAT on repairs to listed buildings;
	(2)  if he will make it his policy to remove VAT from housing repairs, maintenance and improvement works for the purpose of stimulating the economy.

David Gauke: There is no change to the VAT treatment of repairs to listed buildings. They have always been subject to VAT. Annex B—Tables of Impact for Individual Measures in HM Revenue and Customs consultation document “VAT: Addressing Borderline Anomalies”, published at Budget 2012, sets out estimates for VAT which will be raised from approved alterations to listed buildings and a summary of impacts upon which comments are invited
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/budget2012/vat-con-4801.pdf
	It is not possible to introduce a VAT zero rate for housing repairs, maintenance and improvement works. The UK retains its zero rates of VAT under longstanding formal agreements with other member states. Under the terms of those agreements, we cannot extend the scope of existing zero rates nor introduce new ones.

VAT

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the likely loss in revenue to the Exchequer if VAT on housing repair, maintenance and improvement works were set at (a) zero, (b) five, (c) 10, (d) 15 and (e) 17.5 per cent.

David Gauke: The following table shows the estimated cost to the Exchequer if VAT on housing repair, maintenance and improvement, were set at (a) zero, (b) five, (c) 10, (d) 15 and (e) 17.5%. These estimates are tentative and do not include any behavioural change. The figures are for 2012-13 and are rounded to the nearest £100 million.
	
		
			 Alternative VAT rate Illustrative revenue impact 2012-13 (£ million) 
			 0% (1)n/a 
			 5% -2,300 
			 10% -1,600 
			 15% -800 
			 17.5% -400 
			 (1 )Under EU laws the minimum permitted reduced rate of VAT is 5%

Written Questions: Government Responses

Stephen McPartland: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he plans to provide a substantive answer to question 99245, on the personal allowance, tabled on 6 March 2012 for answer on 12 March 2012.

David Gauke: Question 99245 was answered on 30 April 2012, Official Report, columns 1189-90W.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Human Rights

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what issues he plans to raise at the Universal Periodic Review; what recent representations he has received about the Review; and if he will make a statement.

Kenneth Clarke: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Ministry of Justice.
	The Minister of State for Justice, Lord McNally, will lead the UK's delegation to Geneva for its second Universal Periodic Review (UPR) on 24 May 2012. The UK's UPR will be in part based on the UK's national report that was submitted to the United Nations on 5 March 2012. As part of the UK's preparations for its UPR the Ministry of Justice, in partnership with the devolved Administrations, has held a series of consultation events at which NGOs and civil society groups have been given the opportunity to raise issues in advance of the UK's review.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Alcoholic Drinks: Prices

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will publish her consultation on a minimum unit price for alcohol before the summer recess.

James Brokenshire: The Government intends to launch a consultation later in the year.

Asylum

David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much her Department spent on asylum seekers awaiting an immigration decision in the last year for which figures are available.

Damian Green: The UK Border Agency spent £304.5 million in 2010-11 on providing accommodation, transport and subsistence for asylum-seekers. In 2011-12, the comparable figure is £240.2 million, (this figure is provisional and unaudited). Due to the way the information is recorded, it is not possible to identify separately expenditure on asylum seekers awaiting immigration decisions without incurring disproportionate costs.

Asylum: Young People

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether her Department sought the (a) advice and (b) permission of the Department for Education before beginning the age assessments dental x-ray pilot.

Damian Green: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Asylum: Young People

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will consider the proposal of the Immigration Law Practitioner's Association to establish regional expert age assessment centres made in its 2007 report When Is a Child Not a Child?

Damian Green: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Asylum: Young People

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will evaluate the effects of the age assessments dental x-ray pilots; and if she will ensure that young people are consulted as part of such an evaluation.

Damian Green: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Boston College

Alasdair McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether she has discussed the Government's request to subpoena recordings from the Boston College oral history project with the US Secretary of State.

Nick Herbert: holding answer 30 April 2012
	Home Office Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide variety of international partners, as well as organisations and individuals in the public and private sectors, as part of the process of policy development and delivery. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of such meetings.

Computers

Rachel Reeves: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many computers and related equipment have been purchased by her Department and its public bodies since May 2010; and what the (a) makes and (b) costs were.

Damian Green: holding answer 30 April 2012
	The Home Office, along with the United Kingdom Border Agency, Criminal Records Bureau and National Fraud Authority, procure desktop managed services from third party suppliers, and do not generally purchase computers and related equipment directly. It is not possible to say how many computers and related equipment have been purchased since May 2010, without incurring disproportionate cost.
	The Identity and Passport Service has, since May 2010, purchased computer and related equipment through its third party service provider. The following table provides the relevant information, where available. Information on how many computers and related equipment have been purchased by non-departmental public bodies is not held centrally, and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	
		
			 Computers and related equipment which have been purchased by IPS since May 2010 
			 Make Quantity Cost (£) 
			 HP Proliant DL360 1 1,700 
			 HPM601DN black and white printer 441 369,663 
			 Desktop PCs for Steria HP8200’s 51 21,110 
			 Kodak i4600 scanner 23 199,683 
			 CISCO switches 451 424,300 
			 Kodak i2600 scanner 28 26,835 
			 10 x PNY Ge force graphics cards 10 319 
			 4345 HP printer parts 2 296 
			 BT answer machines 6 122 
			 Intel Graphics adapter 1 33 
			 Fusion I/O drives for RON 8 36,012 
		
	
	
		
			 HP SAS Expander card, storage controller upgrade card 1 1,227 
			 Parts for APC UPS D07 6 1,506 
			 Logitech Deluxe 250 keyboards (sea grey) 10 54 
			 F5 Fibre connector for load balancer 6 876 
			 Low profile PCI-express graphics cards 14 356 
			 Mediant 1000 two spans gateway 1 2,778 
			 Intel graphics adapter cards 11 298 
			 HP anti reflective keyboards 10 58 
			 Fusion cards 4 23,593 
			 CISCO LAN refresh 1 253,888 
			 CISCO 10 x dual ports and 2 x adapter 12 4,191 
			 HP disc storage 10 46,803 
			 HP printers 3 7,174 
			 Kodak scanners 7 9,590 
			 HP monitors 57 4,976 
			 HP Printers 60 14,802 
			 APC UPS 1 44,592 
			 IBM server 3650 1 11,226 
			 APC smart UPS 1 1,682 
			 IBM server 3650, including disk arrays and IBM KVM 1 40,482 
			 Ventis Rack 1 7,705 
			 Buffalo USB portable drives 3 1,425 
			 CAT five Ethernet cabling 1 978 
			 IBM Server 3400 1 6,550 
			 Apex container 1 1,155 
			 IBM server 3650 1 11,226 
			 Toshiba laptops 10 16,586 
			 Nortel IP phones 3,050 491,050 
			 Muhlbauer printers 24 600,000 
			 22” NEC LED screens 10 1,067 
			 Total  2,687,967

Criminal Records: EU Action

Stephen McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department who is responsible for monitoring the implementation of the European Criminal Records Information System to ensure that British citizens are treated in the same way as other residents of EU member states; and what safeguards have been put in place in this respect.

Lynne Featherstone: The Home Office has delegated responsibility for the practical implementation and day to day operation of Council Decisions 2009/315/JHA on the organisation and content of the exchange of information extracted from the criminal record between member states and 2009/316/JHA on the establishment of the European Criminal Records Information System (ECRIS) in application of Article 11 of Framework Decision 2009/315/JHA to the United Kingdom Central Authority for the Exchange of Criminal Records (UKCA-ECR) which is run by the Association of Chief Police Officers Criminal Records Office (ACRO). Information shared under this mechanism can only be used by the receiving member state in relation to the purpose or proceedings for which it was requested (except where it is necessary to share information to prevent an immediate and serious threat to public security).
	Where a British citizen is the subject of criminal proceedings in another EU member state, the UKCA-ECR must send that member state a copy of the individual's previous criminal record where it is requested to do so. Member states are required, under Council Framework Decision 2008/675/JHA on taking account of convictions in the member states of the European Union in the course of new criminal proceedings, to take into account convictions in other member states during criminal proceedings in the same way as they would convictions handed down by their own jurisdiction. This also means that EU offenders in the UK will be able to have their previous convictions taken into account by the UK courts in the same way as previous convictions of British citizens is used and so will equalise treatment before our courts.

Databases: Telecommunications

Dominic Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has commissioned from external experts on the technical viability of the Communications Capabilities Development Programme.

James Brokenshire: holding answer 25 April 2012
	The technical capabilities required for the Communications Capabilities Development programme have been selected on the basis of proven technology. Technical viability is kept under review through periodic external assurance reviews and by consulting with industry, suppliers and other Government Departments.

Entry Clearances

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what her Department's policy is on diplomats intervening in UK visa application cases; and if she will make a statement.

Damian Green: A request to 'fast track' (facilitate) an application for entry clearance can be requested by FCO staff members. The facilitation process is used sparingly for applications submitted by persons of very high standing in the local community where there is a clear overriding benefit, e.g. political or economic interest to the UK. Facilitation does not influence the entry clearance officer's final decision or consideration of the application within the immigration rules. All facilitation requests are entered in a register and the register is regularly checked by an entry clearance manager and FCO senior management.
	A statement will not be made on this issue.

Entry Clearances

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will introduce a ban on all those holding an Israeli passport who live in the Occupied West Bank entering the UK; and if she will discuss with her counterparts in each EU member state introducing such a ban.

Damian Green: holding answer 26 April 2012
	There are no plans for the introduction of a blanket travel ban on the holders of Israeli passports who live in the Occupied Palestinian Territories from entering the United Kingdom.

European Union

Chris Heaton-Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which EU measures in justice and home affairs matters falling under the responsibility of her Department the UK has sought to accept after their adoption by the EU; and in which such cases the European Commission or the Council of the EU decided to require the UK to fulfil particular conditions before it could become bound by the relevant EU measure; what those conditions were in each such case; and whether the UK fulfilled them.

James Brokenshire: The Home Office is responsible for two measures to which the UK has applied to opt in after their adoption by participating member states:
	On 16 July 2011, the UK applied to opt into the adopted Directive 2011/36/EU on preventing and combating trafficking in human beings and protecting its victims. This application was accepted by the Commission on 16 October 2011 and no conditions were set.
	On 8 February 2012, the UK applied to opt into the adopted Council Decision on the signature of the agreement between the United States of America and the European Union on the use and transfer of passenger name records to the United States Department of Homeland Security (EU-US PNR). The Commission has four-months to decide whether to accept our application and we await its response.
	However, the.UK subsequently opted into the Council Decision on the conclusion of the EU-US PNR Agreement and is therefore bound by the final measure.

Immigration Controls: Crimes Against Humanity

Dominic Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people who applied for residency in the UK have subsequently gone on to face prosecution for genocide, crimes against humanity or war crimes (a) in the UK, (b) in another EU member state or (c) before an international criminal court since May 2003.

Crispin Blunt: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Ministry of Justice.
	Information available centrally to the Ministry of Justice on defendants proceeded against, found guilty and sentenced for criminal offences in England and Wales is limited to the detail provided by the statutes under which proceedings are brought, but not all the specific circumstances of each case. From centrally held data it is not possible to separately identify a defendant's immigration status or whether a defendant had previously applied for residency in the United Kingdom.
	Information for Scotland and Northern Ireland are matters for the Scottish Executive and Northern Ireland Office respectively.

Legal Costs

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much her Department spent on legal fees in each of the last three years.

Damian Green: It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

Northern Ireland Racial Equality Strategy

Margaret Ritchie: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the terms of reference are of her Department's co-ordinating group referred to in Section 3.9 of the Northern Ireland Racial Equality Strategy; what the date has been of each meeting of that group since March 2009; what agenda items were discussed at each meeting; which government departments or non-departmental public bodies attended each meeting; and which voluntary and community sector representatives attended each meeting.

Damian Green: holding answer 30 April 2012
	I refer to the hon. Member to the answers given on 6 March 2012, Official Report, columns 638-39W and 30 April 2012, Official Report, columns 1079-80W answered on 30 April 2012.
	The national asylum stakeholder forum (NASF) was launched on 12 July 2007. The forum was designed to promote dialogue, transparency and the ability to work in partnership between the Agency and its external partners. The group meets bi-monthly and is comprised of a number of voluntary sector and other government department attendees. Membership can be found in the list placed in the Library of the House.
	The group has met 28 times to discuss a range of issues. The UK Border Agency is currently taking forward five joint pieces of work with NASF partners looking at the applicant journey, asylum screening reform, the quality of asylum decisions, gender issues and integration. In addition to the previous answer, there are now two additional standing items on the agenda namely: Criminal Casework and discussions around legal aid.
	The terms of reference have been placed in the Library of the House.

Public Consultation: Internet

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether her Department collects the IP addresses of online respondents to its consultations.

Damian Green: IP addresses are collected as a consequence of the software supporting our electronic consultations. It is Home Office policy not to make use of this information.

Suicide

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 21 March 2012, Official Report, column 788W, on suicide, what the names are of the Government-led cross-sector forums seeking to improve practice in the investigation of sudden deaths; what the membership of each such forum is; when she expects the forums to report; and if she will make a statement.

Jonathan Djanogly: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Ministry of Justice.
	The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has recently set up a Coroners Working Group comprised of police, CPS and coroner representatives. The group has been established to focus on improving communications between the three parties, in the event of a suspicious death. Discussions from the group will underpin a Memorandum of Understanding between the three parties, setting out roles and responsibilities for police, prosecutors and coroners across England and Wales. I understand that this should be published by the end of the year.
	In February 2012 Ministry of Justice officials convened a meeting with representatives from the Home Office, National Policing Improvement Agency, the CPS and the Coroners' Society of England and Wales to discuss non-suspicious sudden deaths.
	My officials will attend the CPS group's next meeting in May 2012 to consider how best to co-ordinate the two strands of work.

Terrorism

Alec Shelbrooke: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000, how many applications to release collected data resulted in an arrest under suspicion of terrorism since 2010.

James Brokenshire: The Home Office does not collect figures on which arrests (or subsequent prosecutions) under Terrorism Legislation are the direct result of the use of a specific communications data request. However, communications data has played a significant role in every major counter terrorist investigation over the last decade and has been used in numerous counter terrorism prosecutions.

Theft: Metals

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will publish the (a) consultation document, (b) consultation responses and (c) economic impact assessment of her plans to ban cash payments for scrap metal.

James Brokenshire: The Government's economic impact assessment for taking legislative action to ban cash payments for scrap metal is published on the Ministry of Justice website:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/downloads/legislation/bills-acts/legal-aid-sentencing/laspo-metal-theft-ia.pdf
	Section A.3 of this document provides details of the those we consulted. No consultation document was produced.

Tobacco: Packaging

Ian Paisley Jnr: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what meetings she has had with the Secretary of State for Health to discuss the potential effect of the introduction of plain packaging for all cigarette brands on the smuggling of contraband cigarettes into the UK.

James Brokenshire: Home Office Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide variety of international partners, as well as organisations and individuals in the public and private sectors, as part of the process of policy development and delivery. As was the case with previous administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such meetings.

Travel

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many journeys (a) Ministers and (b) officials from her Department made by (i) train, (ii) coach and (iii) Government car in an official capacity in each of the last six months.

Damian Green: The table shows the number of journeys made by Ministers and officials using the Government Car Service in an official capacity in each of the last six months.
	During the past six months, the Home Office also had one dedicated Government Car Service car and driver, which made a number of journeys each day as required. Information on these journeys is not included in the table.
	Information on the number of train and coach journeys made by Ministers and officials in the Department is not held centrally.
	
		
			  Number of journeys made by GCS by staff Number of journeys made by GCS by Ministers 
			 October 2011 — 49 
			 November 2011 1 63 
			 December 2011 1 34 
			 January 2012 0 47 
			 February 2012 0 50 
			 March 2012 0 48 
			 Total 2 291

Victim Support: Hove

Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what data her Department holds on referrals to Victim Support in Hove in (i) 2009, (ii) 2010 and (iii) 2011.

Crispin Blunt: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Ministry of Justice.
	While Victim Support is principally funded by a grant from the Ministry of Justice, it is an independent charity and is separate from Government. The Ministry of Justice holds no data on referrals to Victim Support in Hove.

Youth Custody

Julian Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 1 March 2012, Official Report, column 465W, on youth custody, if she will consider raising to 18 years the age at which individuals can be strip searched without an adult being present under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984.

Nick Herbert: I will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

Youth Offending Teams: Finance

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the change is in the level of funding which she plans to allocate to youth offending service budgets in (a) Nottinghamshire, (b) the east midlands and (c) England in 2012-13 compared to 2011-12.

James Brokenshire: holding answer 26 April 2012
	The Home Office is providing £14 million in 2012-13 to support local youth crime and substance misuse prevention work across England and Wales. The funding is split between the Youth Justice Board (YJB), for allocation to youth offending teams, police authorities and the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime in London. These are new arrangements to help local partners prepare for the introduction of police and crime commissioners.
	The allocation to Nottinghamshire is £250,890, comprising £107,028 to the Nottinghamshire youth offending team (via YJB) and £143,862 to Nottinghamshire police authority. The total Home Office allocation to the east midlands is £1,021,294, comprising £588,679 to the relevant youth offending teams (via YJB) and £432,615 to the police authorities in the east midlands. The total Home Office funding for England is £13,085,241.
	As these are new arrangements, it is not possible to provide direct comparisons with 2011-12 funding for individual youth offending teams. Total Home Office funding to the Youth Justice Board for youth crime and substance misuse prevention work was £14.5 million in 2011-12, across the whole of England and Wales. This funding formed part of the wider youth justice grant that the Youth Justice Board provided to all youth offending teams.

JUSTICE

Abu Qatada

Richard Fuller: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much his Department spent on funding arrangements in respect of Abu Qatada in each financial year from 2001 to 2010.

Jonathan Djanogly: The deportation proceedings against Abu Qatada are still ongoing. It would be wrong of me to comment on any administrative aspects such as legal aid until the matter has concluded.
	The Legal Services Commission (LSC) is the body with operational responsibility for legal aid in England and Wales. The LSC has received a number of requests for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 seeking similar information. When it is able to do so, the LSC will publish the details of the legal aid costs for those matters that have concluded on its website.

Alcoholic Drinks: Misuse

Paul Maynard: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  how many people were found guilty of (a) drunk and disorderly behaviour and (b) drunk and aggravated behaviour in Lancashire in each of the last five years;
	(2)  how many prosecutions for drunk and disorderly behaviour of people aged between 10 and 17 years old there were in Lancashire in each of the last five years.

Crispin Blunt: The number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts and found guilty at all courts for drunk and disorderly behaviour, by age in Lancashire police force area, from 2006 to 2010 (latest available) can be viewed in the table.
	The Ministry of Justice Court Proceedings Database holds information on offences provided by the statutes under which proceedings are brought but not all the specific circumstances of each case. From centrally held data it is not possible to separately identify specific offences relating to drunk and aggravated behaviour.
	Court proceedings data for 2011 are planned for publication on 24 May 2012.
	
		
			 Defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts and found guilty at all courts, by age, for drunk and disorderly behaviour (1) , Lancashire police force area, 2006-10 (2, 3) 
			  2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 
			 Age Proceeded against Found guilty Proceeded against Found guilty Proceeded against Found guilty Proceeded against Found guilty Proceeded against Found guilty 
			 All ages 574 409 755 617 1,120 964 1,386 1,204 1,391 1,212 
			 Of which:           
			 10 to 17-year-olds 92 63 120 91 171 148 173 147 123 93 
			 (1) Licensing Act 1872, S.12 and Criminal Justice Act 1967, S.91. (2) The figures given in the table relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. (3) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services—Ministry of Justice.

Ashfield Young Offender Institution: Ethnic Groups: Discipline

Stephen Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what the ethnicity is of each child awarded additional days of imprisonment by outside adjudicators in Ashfield Young Offender Institute in each month in the last two years;
	(2)  how many additional days of imprisonment were awarded to children in Ashfield Young Offender Institute by an outside adjudicator for breaches of prison rules in each month in the last two years;
	(3)  how many cases were referred to an outside adjudicator for breaches of prison rules in Ashfield Young Offender Institute in each month in the last two years.

Crispin Blunt: Table 1 shows the ethnicity of each person awarded additional days of imprisonment by outside adjudicators in Ashfield Young Offender Institution in each month from January 2010 to April 2012. This includes 18-year-olds at Ashfield.
	The second table (Table 2) shows how many additional days of imprisonment were awarded to people in Ashfield Young Offender Institution by an outside adjudicator for breaches of prison rules in each month from January 2010 to April 2012. This includes 18-year olds at Ashfield.
	The third table (Table 3) shows how many cases were referred to an outside adjudicator for breaches of prison rules in Ashfield Young Offender Institution in each month from January 2010 to April 2012.
	These data have been provided by the Youth Justice Board (YJB) from Ashfield Young Offender Institution (YOI).
	These figures have been drawn from YOI records, as such they are subject to possible recording errors and can be subject to change over time.
	
		
			 Table 1: Ethnicity of each person awarded additional days of imprisonment by outside adjudicators in Ashfield Young Offender Institution in each month from January 2010 to April 2012 
			  W1 W2 W9 M1 M2 M3 M9 A1 A2 A3 A9 B1 B2 B9 O1 O9 Total 
			  
			 2010                  
			 January 1 — — 1 — — — 1 — — — — — — — — 3 
			 February 1 — — — — — — — — — — — 1 — — — 2 
			 March — — — — — — — 1 — — — — — — — — 1 
			 April 1 — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — 1 
			 May 2 — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — 2 
			 June — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — 0 
			 July 2 — — — — — — — — — — 5 — 2 — — 9 
			 August — — — — — — — — — — — 3 8 — — — 11 
			 September 2 — 1 — — — — — — — — — — — — — 3 
			 October 1 — 1 — — — — — — — — — — — — — 2 
			 November 1 — — — — — — — — — — — 2 — — — 3 
			 December 1 — — — — — — — — — — 3 — 2 — — 6 
			                   
			 2011                  
			 January 3 — — — — 1 — — — — — 4 1 1 — — 10 
			 February — — — 1 — — — — — — — — 1 — — — 2 
			 March 1 — — 2 — 2 1 — — — — 3 — 3 — — 12 
			 April — — — 6 — — 1 — — — — 7 1 — — — 15 
			 May — — — — — 1 — — — — — 4 1 — — — 6 
			 June 4 — — — — — — — — — — 4 1 — — — 9 
			 July — — — — — 1 — — — — — 3 — 1 — — 5 
			 August — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — 0 
			 September — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — 0 
			 October 1 — — — — 1 — — — — — 2 — — — — 4 
			 November — — — 1 — — — — — — — 1 1 — — — 3 
			 December — — — 1 — 1 — — — — — 1 2 — — — 5 
			                   
			 2012                  
			 January — — 1 — — 1 — — — — — — — — — — 2 
			 February 2 1 — — 1 — — — — — — 1 — — — — 5 
			 March 3 2 — — — 2 1 — — 2 — 5 2 — — — 17 
		
	
	
		
			 April — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — 0 
			 Notes: 1. This table also includes 18-year olds at Ashfield. 2. Ethnicity key: W1: White —British W2: White—Irish W9: White—Other White M1: Mixed—White and Black Caribbean M2: Mixed—White and Black AfricanM3: Mixed - White and Asian M9: Mixed—Other Mixed A1: Asian or Asian British—Indian A2: Asian or Asian British—Pakistani A3: Asian or Asian British—Bangladeshi A9: Asian or Asian British—Other Asian B1: Black or Black British—Caribbean B2: Black or Black British—African B9: Black or Black British—Other Black O1: Chinese—Chinese O9: Other Ethnic Group—Any Other 3. These figures have been drawn from YOI records, as such they are subject to possible recording errors and can be subject to change over time. 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 2: Number of additional days of imprisonment awarded to people in Ashfield Young Offender Institution by an outside adjudicator for breaches of prison rules in each month from January 2010  to  April 2012 
			  Total (days) 
			 2010  
			 January 61 
			 February 26 
			 March 30 
			 April 28 
			 May 30 
			 June 0 
			 July 130 
			 August 172 
			 September 0 
			 October 22 
			 November 36 
			 December 77 
			   
			 201 1  
			 January 112 
			  (1)19 
			 February 12 
			  (1)12 
			 March 141 
			 April 74 
			  (1)105 
			 May 134 
			 June 156 
			 July 52 
			  (1)30 
			 August 0 
			 September 0 
			 October 22 
			  (1)18 
			 November 59 
			 December 140 
			   
			 2012  
			 January 36 
			 February 98 
			 March 244 
			 April 0 
			 (1) Prospective added Notes: 1. This table also includes 18-year olds at Ashfield. 2. These figures have been drawn from YOI records, as such they are subject to possible recording errors and can be subject to change over time. 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 3: Number of cases referred to an outside adjudicator for breaches of prison rules in Ashfield Young Offender Institution in each month from January 2010 to April 2012 
			  Number 
			 2010  
			 January 3 
			 February 2 
			 March 1 
			 April 1 
			 May 2 
			 June 0 
			 July 12 
			 August 13 
			 September 3 
			 October 3 
			 November 5 
			 December 12 
			   
			 2011  
			 January 11 
			 February 5 
			 March 16 
			 April 23 
			 May 13 
			 June 20 
			 July 9 
			 August 15 
			 September 0 
			 October 15 
			 November 20 
			 December 10 
			   
		
	
	
		
			 2012  
			 January 4 
			 February 16 
			 March 25 
			 April 10 
			 Note: These figures have been drawn from YOI records, as such they are subject to possible recording errors and can be subject to change over time.

Bill of Rights

Penny Mordaunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what meetings he has had with the Chairman or members of the Commission on a Bill of Rights since its establishment; who attended any such meeting; what the purpose of each such meeting was; and whether a record of what was said at any such meeting was made.

Kenneth Clarke: With ministerial colleagues I have had two formal meetings with the Commission on a Bill of Rights since its establishment.
	The first meeting took place on 1 December 2011, when the Deputy Prime Minister, the Minister for Europe, Lord McNally and I met the Chair and all of the then Commissioners except Lord Lester of Herne Hill QC, who had another appointment. The purpose of the meeting was an update on work to reform of the European Court of Human Rights, following the Commission's provision of its interim advice on reform to the Government and to provide an opportunity for the Commission to provide an update on its future work plans. A short record was made of what was said at the meeting.
	The second meeting took place on 22 March 2012 when the Deputy Prime Minister, Lord McNally and I met the Chair and all of the current Commissioners. The purpose of the meeting was to allow further updates on Court reform and the Commission's future work plans. As before, a short record was made of what was said at the meeting.
	Separately, I have had two bi-lateral meetings on my own with the Chair of the Commission, Sir Leigh Lewis, since the Commission was established. The first took place on I2 October 2011 and the second took place on 7 March 2012. Both meetings were conversations about the Commission's progress in fulfilling its terms of reference and no records were made of what was said at these meetings.
	Immediately before the Commission was established I had a meeting with Sir Leigh Lewis on I6 March 2011 to discuss its establishment.
	In addition to the participants already noted, officials also attended my meetings with the Chair and Commissioners.

Burglary

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many burglaries were committed by people on bail for burglary in each of the last five years.

Crispin Blunt: The Ministry of Justice does not centrally hold information regarding the offences for which an offender has been released on bail.

Civil Servants: Codes of Practice

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many investigations into breaches by civil servants of the Civil Service Code of Conduct occurred in his Department in each month from May 2010 to March 2012.

Kenneth Clarke: I will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

Community Orders

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice who will bear the cost of the pension deficit in respect of unpaid work and the tendering process in the London probation area.

Crispin Blunt: The MOJ will be taking on a direct liability with the London Probation Fund Authority in respect of the accrued pension deficit for relevant staff and the MOJ will bear authority related costs associated with the London Probation Trust Unpaid Work/Community Payback tendering process.

Community Orders

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the expected breach rate is of offenders placed on his proposed intensive community punishment order.

Crispin Blunt: The 'Punishment and Reform: Effective Community Sentences' consultation proposes to develop an Intensive Community Punishment Order for offenders who deserve a significant level of punishment, but who are better dealt with in the community to maintain ties with work and family. As set out in the impact assessment, the consultation asks respondents for their views on how ICPO could work, so it would be premature to provide estimates of the breach rates. MOJ will examine the impacts when the final proposal is developed.
	The impact assessment that MOJ published alongside the consultation can be found on the following webpage:
	https://consult.justice.gov.uk/digital-communications/effective-community-services-1

Community Orders

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment he has made of the effects on custody of the introduction of the intensive community punishment order.

Crispin Blunt: The 'Punishment and Reform: Effective Community Sentences' consultation proposes to develop an Intensive Community Punishment Order for offenders who deserve a significant level of punishment, but who are better dealt with in the community to maintain ties with work and family. As set out in the impact assessment, the consultation asks respondents for their views on how ICPO could work, so it would be premature to provide estimates of the impact on custody. MOJ will examine the impacts when the final proposal is developed.
	The impact assessment that MOJ published alongside the consultation can be found on the following webpage:
	https://consult.justice.gov.uk/digital-communications/effective-community-services-1

Coroners and Justice Act 2009

Frank Doran: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice when he plans to bring into force the provisions of section 50 of the Coroners and Justice Act 2009.

Jonathan Djanogly: Implementation of section 50, and the related provisions in sections 12 and 13 of the 2009 Act, depends on the timing of the chief coroner taking up post. I hope to be able to make an announcement shortly about the chief coroner and the timetable for implementing Part 1 of the 2009 Act.

Crime: Victims

Simon Danczuk: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will make it his policy that victims of crime should have the right to receive information about their case within a specified timeframe.

Crispin Blunt: Our consultation 'Getting it Right for Victims and Witnesses' closed on 22 April. One of its key proposals is that there should be a new, clearer, Victims' Code and we have sought views on a set of principles on which we think a new code should be based. The provision of information to victims will be one of the matters to be considered in drafting a new code.

Crime: Victims

Ann Coffey: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what steps he will take to ensure that the new Victims Code is monitored and enforced;
	(2)  if he will bring forward proposals to put the new Victims Code on a statutory footing.

Crispin Blunt: A key proposal in our consultation document ‘Getting it Right for Victims and Witnesses’, published on 30 January, is that there should be a new, clearer, Victims Code and we sought views on a set of principles on which we think a new code should be based. The consultation closed on 22 April and we plan to publish the Government's response to the consultation in the summer.
	As we begin to draft the new code we will consider how best to monitor and enforce it. There will be a further consultation on the code before we lay it before Parliament.
	There is already a statutory basis for the Victims Code. It is made under the Domestic Violence. Crime and Victims Act 2004.

Criminal Injuries Compensation

Robert Flello: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people who had previously been convicted of a crime received a payment from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme in the year to 31 March 2011; how much was paid to people previously convicted under each band; and how many people previously convicted received compensation in each band.

Jonathan Djanogly: The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) cannot say definitively how many people who had previously been convicted of a crime received a payment from the scheme, because claims officers only take unspent convictions into account when deciding payments. In the 2011 financial year 3,587 people received an award that was reduced because of unspent convictions. The breakdown of the 3,587 awards is shown in the following table, broken down by the bands mentioned in the Criminal Injuries Compensation scheme as requested.
	
		
			 Band Number of awards paid How much paid (£) 
			 1 229 208,353 
			 2 147 138,197 
			 3 656 757,298 
			 4 24 37,482 
			 5 309 516,861 
			 6 269 532,327 
			 7 429 1,121,589 
			 8 349 1,065,253 
			 9 483 1,679,358 
			 10 242 1,549,693 
			 11 32 170,209 
			 12 115 1,096,061 
			 13 126 1,047,415 
			 14 34 589,398 
			 15 56 879,730 
			 16 11 332,198 
			 17 48 991,281 
			 18 9 205,973 
			 19 1 62,321 
			 20 11 1,168,129 
			 21 3 262,137 
			 24 1 68,975 
			 25 3 639,658

Crown Court: Prison Sentences

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many cases were brought before each Crown court in each of the last two years; and how many such cases resulted in a custodial sentence.

Crispin Blunt: The number of defendants tried at the Crown court, by court circuit, for all offences and the number sentenced to immediate custody, England and Wales, in 2009 and 2010 (latest available) can be viewed in Tables 1 and 2.
	Annual court proceedings data for 2011 are planned for publication on 24 May, 2012.
	
		
			 Table 1: Number of defendants tried at the Crown  c ourt, by court circuit, for all offences and the number sentenced to immediate custody, England and Wales 2009 (1, 2) 
			 Crown  court circuit Total tried Immediate custody 
			 Midland and Oxford Circuit   
			 First Tier Centres   
			 0404 Birmingham 3,113 1,302 
			 0432 Lincoln 709 391 
			 0444 Nottingham 2,036 934 
			 0445 Oxford 791 371 
			 0455 Stafford 831 379 
			 0463 Warwick 707 367 
		
	
	
		
			 Second Tier Centres   
			 0421 Wolverhampton 1,809 943 
			 0430 Leicester 1,396 695 
			 0442 Northampton 1,020 557 
			 0452 Shrewsbury 408 180 
			 0466 Worcester 926 426 
			 Third Tier Centres   
			 0417 Coventry 572 262 
			 0419 Derby 1,350 646 
			 0425 Great Grimsby 664 340 
			 0456 Stoke-on-Trent 913 490 
			 0473 Peterborough 900 387 
			 Circuit sub-total 18,145 8,670 
			    
			 North Eastern Circuit   
			 First Tier Centres   
			 0429 Leeds 2,713 1,278 
			 0439 Newcastle-upon-Tyne 2,923 1,055 
			 0451 Sheffield 2,079 1,010 
			 0460 Teesside 2,101 867 
			 Second Tier Centres   
			 0402 Bradford 1,965 860 
			 0467 York 860 334 
			 Third Tier Centres   
			 0403 Kingston-upon-Hull 1,193 549 
			 0420 Doncaster 557 267 
			 0422 Durham 965 331 
			 Circuit sub-total 15,356 6,551 
			    
			 Northern Circuit   
			 First Tier Centres   
			 0412 Carlisle 697 277 
			 0433 Liverpool 3,473 1,501 
			 0435 Manchester (Crown Sq.) 2,103 1,005 
			 0448 Preston 2,654 1,078 
			 Third Tier Centres   
			 0409 Burnley 696 291 
			 0436 Manchester Minhull St 2,545 1,005 
			 0470 Bolton 1,348 572 
			 Circuit sub-total 13,516 5,729 
			    
			 South Eastern Circuit   
			 First Tier Centres   
			 0410 Cambridge 572 218 
			 0414 Chelmsford 1,257 536 
			 0431 Lewes 2,012 888 
			 0443 Norwich 1,249 570 
			 Second Tier Centres   
			 0413 Central Criminal Court 876 406 
			 0426 Ipswich 825 379 
			 0434 Maidstone 1,450 750 
			 0449 Reading 1,112 462 
			 0450 St Albans 1,039 401 
			 0476 Luton 1,010 529 
		
	
	
		
			 Third Tier Centres   
			 0401 Aylesbury 436 182 
			 0416 Chichester 433 178 
			 0418 Croydon 1,605 845 
			 0427 Kingston upon Thames 1,932 894 
			 0428 Blackfriars (Knightsbridge) 1,560 631 
			 0440 Inner London Sessions House 2,101 906 
			 0453 Snaresbrook 3,034 1,296 
			 0461 Basildon 1,410 457 
			 0468 Harrow 1,375 521 
			 0469 Wood Green 1,708 613 
			 0471 Southwark 2,062 1,029 
			 0472 Woolwich 1,282 543 
			 0474 Guildford 911 407 
			 0475 Isleworth 1,905 950 
			 0479 Canterbury 995 514 
			 Circuit sub-total 34,151 15,105 
			    
			 Wales and Chester Circuit   
			 First Tier Centres   
			 0411 Cardiff 2,156 935 
			 0415 Chester 1,406 686 
			 0457 Swansea 1,092 536 
			 0769 Mold 1,039 606 
			 Second Tier Centres   
			 0437 Merthyr Tydfil 622 304 
			 Circuit sub-total 6,315 3,067 
			    
			 Western Circuit   
			 First Tier Centres   
			 0408 Bristol 1,549 708 
			 0423 Exeter 786 386 
			 0465 Winchester 728 326 
			 0477 Truro 429 165 
			 Second Tier Centres   
			 0407 Dorchester 183 75 
			 0424 Gloucester 548 255 
			 0446 Plymouth 570 246 
			 Third Tier Centres   
			 0406 Bournemouth 633 280 
			 0447 Portsmouth 897 329 
			 0454 Southampton 914 374 
			 0458 Swindon 425 207 
			 0459 Taunton 351 124 
			 0478 Newport (I.O.W) 222 57 
		
	
	
		
			 0480 Salisbury 120 37 
			 Circuit sub-total 8,355 3,569 
			    
			 Total England and Wales 95,838 42,691 
			 (1) The figures given in the table on court proceedings relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. (2 )Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services - Ministry of Justice. 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 2 : Number of defendants tried at the Crown  c ourt, by court circuit, for all offences and the number sentenced to immediate custody, England and Wales, 2010 (1, 2) 
			 Crown  court circuit Total tried Immediate custody 
			 Midland and Oxford Circuit   
			 First Tier Centres   
			 0404 Birmingham 2,978 1,227 
			 0432 Lincoln 734 394 
			 0444 Nottingham 2,387 996 
			 0445 Oxford 744 303 
			 0455 Stafford 1,013 415 
			 0463 Warwick 858 439 
			 Second Tier Centres   
			 0421 Wolverhampton 1,853 823 
			 0430 Leicester 1,534 700 
			 0442 Northampton 1,080 624 
			 0452 Shrewsbury 489 226 
			 0466 Worcester 1,163 448 
			 Third Tier Centres   
			 0417 Coventry 482 233 
			 0419 Derby 1,464 665 
			 0425 Great Grimsby 677 309 
			 0456 Stoke-on-Trent 977 489 
			 0473 Peterborough 1,069 502 
			 Circuit sub-total 19,502 8,793 
			    
			 North Eastern Circuit   
			 First Tier Centres   
			 0429 Leeds 3,184 1,342 
			 0439 Newcastle-upon-Tyne 2,969 1,057 
			 0451 Sheffield 2,237 1,030 
			 0460 Teesside 2,130 860 
			 Second Tier Centres   
			 0402 Bradford 2,408 953 
			 0467 York 850 291 
			 Third Tier Centres   
			 0403 Kingston-upon-Hull 1,243 555 
			 0420 Doncaster 663 272 
			 0422 Durham 1,046 321 
			 Circuit sub-total 16,730 6,681 
		
	
	
		
			    
			 Northern Circuit   
			 First Tier Centres   
			 0412 Carlisle 775 271 
			 0433 Liverpool 3,755 1,580 
			 0435 Manchester (Crown Sq.) 2,377 1,030 
			 0448 Preston 3,036 1,263 
			 Third Tier Centres   
			 0409 Burnley 852 345 
			 0436 Manchester Minhull St. 2,887 1,100 
			 0470 Bolton 1,372 570 
			 Circuit sub-total 15,054 6,159 
			    
			 South Eastern Circuit   
			 First Tier Centres   
			 0410 Cambridge 615 242 
			 0414 Chelmsford 1,241 559 
			 0431 Lewes 1,943 796 
			 0443 Norwich 1,297 560 
			 Second Tier Centres   
			 0413 Central Criminal Court 1,050 445 
			 0426 Ipswich 913 362 
			 0434 Maidstone 1,657 750 
			 0449 Reading 1,533 636 
			 0450 St Albans 1,245 401 
			 0476 Luton 1,250 636 
			 Third Tier Centres   
			 0401 Aylesbury 413 180 
			 0416 Chichester 461 193 
			 0418 Croydon 1,839 821 
			 0427 Kingston upon Thames 2,094 855 
			 0428 Blackfriars (Knightsbridge) 1,720 735 
			 0440 Inner London Sessions House 2,118 847 
			 0453 Snaresbrook 3,223 1,194 
			 0461 Basildon 1,521 469 
			 0468 Harrow 1,455 476 
			 0469 Wood Green 1,825 673 
			 0471 Southwark 2,047 853 
			 0472 Woolwich 1,459 509 
			 0474 Guildford 1,063 436 
			 0475 Isleworth 2,879 1,265 
			 0479 Canterbury 1,033 497 
			 Circuit sub-total 37,894 15,390 
			    
			 Wales and Chester Circuit   
			 First Tier Centres   
			 0411 Cardiff 2,350 1,017 
			 0415 Chester 1,278 598 
			 0457 Swansea 1,230 528 
			 0769 Mold 1,042 523 
			 Second Tier Centres   
			 0437 Merthyr Tydfil 820 412 
			 Circuit sub-total 6,720 3,078 
		
	
	
		
			    
			 Western Circuit   
			 First Tier Centres   
			 0408 Bristol 1,821 858 
			 0423 Exeter 739 340 
			 0465 Winchester 953 357 
			 0477 Truro 454 192 
			 Second Tier Centre   
			 0407 Dorchester 193 93 
			 0424 Gloucester 617 269 
			 0446 Plymouth 625 246 
			 Third Tier Centre   
			 0406 Bournemouth 696 297 
			 0447 Portsmouth 911 324 
			 0454 Southampton 1,021 344 
			 0458 Swindon 475 195 
			 0459 Taunton 398 152 
			 0478 Newport (I.O.W) 199 50 
			 0480 Salisbury 123 35 
			 Circuit sub-total 9,225 3,752 
			    
			 England and Wales 105,125 43,853 
			 (1 )The figures given in the table on court proceedings relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. (2 )Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services - Ministry of Justice.

Driving under Influence

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the highest number was of previous convictions for being drunk in charge of a vehicle held by an individual convicted of that offence without being sent to prison in each of the last three years; and how many previous criminal convictions each such person had at the point of sentence for that offence.

Crispin Blunt: Table 1 shows the highest number of previous convictions for being drunk in charge of a vehicle for individuals convicted of this offence in the years 2008 to 2010 who received a sentence other than immediate custody. It also shows the total number of previous offences for any offence at the point of sentence and the number of previous immediate custodial sentences for any offence for these individuals.
	These figures have, been drawn from the police's administrative IT system, the police national computer, which, as with any large scale recording system, is subject to possible errors with data entry and processing. The figures are provisional and subject to change as more information is recorded by the police.
	
		
			 Table 1:  H ighest number of previous convictions for being drunk in charge of a vehicle, for an individual convicted of this offence without being sent to prison, in England and Wales in the years 2008 to 2010 
			  2008 2009 2010 
			 Number of previous convictions for being drunk in charge of a vehicle 10 13 25 
			 Number of previous cautions and convictions for any offence at time of conviction 158 170 181 
			 Number of previous immediate custodial sentences for any offence 57 64 97 
			 Source: Police National Computer, MOJ JSAS

Drugs: Offences

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the highest number of previous convictions was for drug offences for an individual convicted of drug offences without being sent to prison in each of the last three years; and how many offences they had committed in total at the point of sentence for this offence.

Crispin Blunt: The following table shows the highest number of previous convictions for drug offences for an individual convicted of a drug offence in each year between 2008 to 2010 (it is the same individual in each year), who received a sentence other than immediate custody. It also shows the offender's total number of previous offences for any offence at the point of sentence and the number of previous immediate custodial sentences for any offence.
	These figures have been drawn from the police's administrative IT system, the police national computer, which, as with any large scale recording system, is subject to possible errors with data entry and processing. The figures are provisional and subject to change as more information is recorded by the police.
	
		
			 Table 1 : H ighest number of previous convictions for drug offences, for an individual convicted of this offence without being sent to prison, in England and Wales in the years 2008 to 2010 
			  2008 2009 2010 
			 Number of previous convictions for drug offences 55 56 57 
			 Number of previous cautions and convictions for any offence at time of conviction 104 108 111 
			 Number of previous immediate custodial sentences for any offence 20 20 21 
			 Source: Police National Computer, MOJ JSAS

Duchy of Cornwall

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether he has (a) undertaken any review, (b) initiated any action and (c) commenced any consultation on matters of legislation relating to the Duchy of Cornwall or Stannery law in the last five years.

Kenneth Clarke: I will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

European Convention on Human Rights

Dominic Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what safeguards he is seeking to ensure that the proposed accession of the European Union to the European Convention on Human Rights does not impose additional human rights obligations or liabilities on the UK Government and population.

Kenneth Clarke: The purpose of EU accession to the Convention is to ensure that the European Union institutions themselves are directly accountable to the European Court of Human Rights.
	The European Treaties provide safeguards, set out in Article 6(2) and Protocol 8 of the Treaty on European Union, requiring that accession shall not affect the situation of member states in relation to the Convention, its protocols or any derogations or reservations, or change the competences of the EU or the powers of its institutions. In negotiating the EU's accession, the UK will ensure that any accession agreement meets these safeguards.

European Convention on Human Rights

Dominic Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps the Government is taking to ensure that the proposed accession of the EU to the European Convention on Human Rights is in line with the Brighton Declaration.

Kenneth Clarke: The Brighton Declaration sets out the commitment of members of the Council of Europe to reform the European Court of Human Rights. Accession of the European Union to the convention will make the European Union directly accountable to the jurisdiction of the European Court of Human Rights. Any changes to the functioning of the Court as a result of the EU's accession to the convention will be limited to those necessary to ensure the Strasbourg Court is able to carry out its functions in respect of the EU. Any convention or procedural changes that result as a consequence of the Brighton Declaration will apply equally to the EU, once it accedes, as they will to the other High Contracting Parties.

Female: Higher Civil Servants

Michael Dugher: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the proportion of female civil servants was in his Department at the level of director and above in (a) the first and (b) the second quarter of 2011-12.

Kenneth Clarke: The number and proportion of female senior civil servants at director level and above for the first and second quarters of 2011-12 is provided in the following table:
	
		
			   First quarter (30 June 2011) Second quarter (30 September 2011) 
			 Senior civil servant (SCS) level Gender Number Proportion (%) Number Proportion (%) 
			 Permanent Secretary Female 0 0 0 0 
			  Male 1 — 1 — 
			       
		
	
	
		
			 Director General (SCS pay band 3) Female 4 57.14 4 57.14 
			  Male 3 — 3 — 
			       
			 Director (SCS pay band 2) Female 17 37.77 14 30.43 
			  Male 28 — 32 —

Fines: EU law

Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 16 April 2012, Official Report, column 208W, on what the total value was of the financial penalties transmitted to other EU Member States under EU Council Framework Decision 2005/214/JHA, in each year since it came into force; and if he will make a statement.

Kenneth Clarke: The provisions of EU Council Framework Decision 2005/214/JHA of 24 February 2005 were implemented into England, Wales and Northern Ireland law in 2009, through the Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008. There was a minor amendment made through the Criminal Procedure Rules 2011. In Scotland the Order was made under powers conferred by sections 56 of the Criminal Proceedings etc. (Reform) (Scotland) Act 2007. Then implemented by the Mutual Recognition of Criminal Financial Penalties in the European Union (Scotland) Order (SSI 2009/342).
	The first cases to be sent to and received from member states were in 2010.
	
		
			  Total value of cases transmitted to other EU member states (£) 
			 2010 100,552.92 
			 2011 13,121.10 
			 2012 (to date) 7,190.04

Freedom of Information

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether his Department is considering bringing forward proposals to introduce a charge to obtain information under the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Kenneth Clarke: The operation and effectiveness of the Freedom of Information Act is currently subject to post legislative scrutiny by the Justice Select Committee. The Government will consider the recommendations of the Committee before bringing forward any proposals for future policy on Freedom of Information.

Immunity from Prosecution

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many notices of immunity from prosecution under section 71 of the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 were issued in each year since 2005; and by which prosecuting authority in each case.

Edward Garnier: I have been asked to reply.
	In the past five years the SFO has given one notice of immunity from prosecution under section 71 of the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005.
	The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) maintains information on the number of agreements made under the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 (SOCPA). No specific information is held on the number of cases where evidence was presented by an assisting offender, However, the most recent available data in respect of the number of agreements to provide immunity or seek a reduced sentence, including those made under Section 71 of the Act was contained in an answer I gave to a parliamentary question from the right hon. Member for Haltemprice and Howden (Mr Davis), on 7 July 2011, Official Report, column 1305W. CPS will be updating this information on an annual basis.

Legal Aid Scheme

George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment he has made of the implications of his proposals for the future of legal aid for the decision to replace county courts with the Salford Business Centre.

Crispin Blunt: The County Court Money Claims Centre (CCMCC), located in Salford, does not replace county courts across England and Wales. The claims centre has been established to process all Part 7 Designated Money Claims up to the point of a claim being ready to be allocated to a county court hearing track. Hearings will continue to be conducted in the appropriate county courts across England and Wales.
	The introduction of the CCMCC enables Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) to make the very best use of its administrative resource and provides court users with an efficient and consistent service across England and Wales. It will deliver costs savings and efficiency improvements with nearly £2 million saved in 2010-11 and £4 million in 2011-12, the first full year of operation.
	HMCTS provides support and assistance for CCMCC users through the provision of leaflets, web-based guidance and a national contact centre. This support and assistance will be reviewed in advance of the implementation of the legal aid reforms.

Legal Opinion

George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what estimate he has made of the savings to the public purse arising from 
	(1)  the proposed removal of access to legal advice for compensation for house disrepair;
	(2)  the proposed removal of access to legal advice for plaintiffs in cases of alleged clinical negligence.

Jonathan Djanogly: The scope annex of the impact assessment published alongside the response to consultation lays out the Government's assessment of the likely costs and benefits of the reforms to the scope of legal aid. These can be found at the following website:
	http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20111121205348/http://www.justice.gov.uk/consultations/legal-aid-reform.htm

Offenders

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many offenders were undertaking a community order or community sentence when convicted of a (a) knife-related and (b) firearms-related offence in each of the last five years.

Crispin Blunt: Information held centrally on court records does not identify whether or not an offender is already undertaking a community order or community sentence at the time of conviction for a new offence.

Offenders

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many convicted offenders have served (a) fewer than five, (b) between five and 10, (c) between 10 and 15, (d) between 15 and 20, (e) between 20 and 25 and (f) over 25 separate terms in prison as a result of a custodial sentence.

Crispin Blunt: The following table shows the number of previous prison spells for offenders receiving a custodial sentence in England and Wales in each year between 2007 and 2010.
	These figures have been drawn from the police’s administrative IT system, the police national computer, which, as with any large scale recording system, is subject to possible errors with data entry and processing. The figures are provisional and subject to change as more information is recorded by the police.
	
		
			 Table: Number of prison spells for offenders convicted of an index offence in each year between 2007 and 2010, in England and Wales 
			 Year of index offence Number of previous prison spells Number of offenders receiving a custodial sentence 
			 2007 Less than 5 57,828 
			  Between 5 and 9 14,813 
			  Between 10 and 14 7,032 
			  Between 15 and 19 3,000 
			  Between 20 and 24 1,401 
			  25 or more 1,425 
			    
			 2008 Less than 5 61,494 
			  Between 5 and 9 16,233 
			  Between 10 and 14 7,970 
			  Between 15 and 19 3,674 
			  Between 20 and 24 1,607 
			  25 or more 1,768 
			    
			 2009 Less than 5 59,000 
			  Between 5 and 9 14,843 
			  Between 10 and 14 7,485 
			  Between 15 and 19 3,655 
			  Between 20 and 24 1,648 
			  25 or more 1,927 
			    
			 2010 Less than 5 54,707 
			  Between 5 and 9 13,936 
			  Between 10 and 14 7,284 
			  Between 15 and 19 3,617 
			  Between 20 and 24 1,738 
		
	
	
		
			  25 or more 2,177

Police and Crime Commissioners

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether he has any plans to integrate probation and youth justice functions as part of the police commissioner role in the future.

Crispin Blunt: There are no immediate plans to integrate probation and youth justice functions as part of the Police and Crime Commissioner role. The consultation document “Punishment and Reform: Effective Probation Services”, published on 27 March, asks whether there may be potential over time for other public bodies—such as local authorities or Police and Crime Commissioners—to take responsibility for probation services.
	The Ministry of Justice is working with the Home Office and across the criminal justice agencies to ensure local areas are prepared for the introduction of Police and Crime Commissioners. To support this, we are looking to help local areas develop relationships in this transition period and when Commissioners take up post in November.

Prisoners: Drugs

Ian Lavery: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prisoners in each prison in England and Wales are enrolled on drug rehabilitation programmes.

Crispin Blunt: The figures in the following table are for all accredited substance misuse programmes (including alcohol) and are an estimate based on the number of prisoners who were enrolled on programmes still ongoing as at 31 March 2012.
	The figures are estimated via the pre and post treatment returns made by prisons and are based on a single point in time, which will not necessarily represent the normal level of delivery.
	
		
			 Estimate of prisoners currently enrolled on accredited substance misuse programmes by prison, as at 31 March 2012 
			 Prison Number 
			 Altcourse 24 
			 Bedford 12 
			 Bullingdon 46 
			 Channings Wood 31 
			 Coldingley 27 
			 Erlestoke 17 
			 Everthorpe 9 
			 Garth 36 
			 Holloway 12 
			 Holme House 69 
			 Littlehey 15 
			 Liverpool 12 
			 Northallerton 12 
			 Norwich 12 
			 Pentonville 12 
		
	
	
		
			 Ranby 12 
			 Risley 12 
			 Send 18 
			 Stafford 9 
			 Stoke Heath 22 
			 Styal 12 
			 Swaleside 6 
			 The Mount 26 
			 Wandsworth 12 
			 Wayland 28 
			 Winchester 12 
			 Wormwood Scrubs 12 
			 Wymott 41 
			 Total 568

Prisoners on Remand

Michael Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 18 April 2012, Official Report, columns 435-6W, on prisoners on remand, how many people were held on remand in the period in question; and what the cost to the public purse was of holding those prisoners on remand in that period.

Crispin Blunt: In the first quarter of 2009, a total of 13,624 prisoners entered custody on untried remand (awaiting trial).
	The cost of a prisoner on remand in custody is not separately calculated.
	A predominantly, large number of remand sentences are served in local adult male prisons. The estimated average overall annual cost per prisoner in local adult male prisons for financial year 2008-09 is £39,000 (to nearest £1,000).
	The calculation for cost per prisoner is based on net resource expenditure related to prisons included in the annual accounts of the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) expressed in terms of the average prison population. This includes some estimation. Expenditure which is met by other government departments, such as expenditure on health and education, is not included. Expenditure recharged to the Youth Justice Board in respect of young people is included.

Prisoners: Mental Health Services

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps his Department is taking to ensure adequate resources for prisoners serving indeterminate sentences for public protection to get fair access to the therapy programmes they need to prove they are no longer a danger to society.

Crispin Blunt: The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) has introduced a number of measures to improve the availability of interventions to address the risk factors which offender managers have identified in sentence plans for prisoners serving indeterminate sentences of imprisonment for public protection (IPP). In addition, NOMS is to introduce changes to ensure that programmes can be delivered more flexibly, supporting greater access, and inclusion of offenders with more complex needs, such as learning difficulties.
	It is not only by completing accredited programmes that IPP prisoners are capable of demonstrating that they have reduced their risk of harm to the extent that the Parole Board, on tariff expiry, may decide that their risk may be effectively managed in the community. There are a number of other interventions which will have an impact on reduction in risk, such as training, education, work, specialist support and resettlement activity.
	In all cases, IPP prisoners are responsible for engaging positively with their sentence plans and the interventions specified in those plans, in order to demonstrate to the Parole Board, once they have completed their tariff, that it is no longer necessary, on the grounds of public protection, for them to be detained in custody.

Prisoners: Parole

Anna Soubry: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what recent representations he has received on the refusal of parole to long-term prisoners on the basis that they continue to protest their innocence; and if he will make a statement.

Crispin Blunt: Individual prisoners can and do refer to denial of guilt in the representations they make to the Parole Board in support of their parole applications.
	The starting point for the Parole Board as well as both the Prison and Probation Services must be that a prisoner has been rightly convicted by the courts. These organisations cannot consider the safety of the conviction and their overriding priority must be to protect the public.
	Nevertheless, there must be no policy or practice which effectively prevents those who maintain their innocence from being granted parole.

Prisons: Drugs

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many drug-free wings were available in prisons in the latest period for which figures are available.

Crispin Blunt: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Ministry of Justice.
	A number of prisons have developed their own framework for drug free wings and the last central survey results reported 24, but these are locally delivered with local standards.

Prisons: Drugs

Ian Lavery: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many drug rehabilitation programmes were removed from prisons in England and Wales due to reductions in budget and staffing in the latest period for which figures are available; and from which prisons.

Crispin Blunt: Prior to April 2011, decisions regarding the commissioning and decommissioning of substance misuse rehabilitation programmes were based upon a local needs analysis and were made at a local level in consultation with former regional NOMS offices.
	There may have been numerous reasons why programmes were removed including changes to the need of the local prison population and decisions would not necessarily have been based upon budgets and staffing costs alone. As such decisions were made at a local level, this information is not centrally available and therefore could be obtained only at disproportionate cost, by obtaining information held in local and national data systems, validating it, collating it in a common format and then calculating the overall number of programmes removed on the basis of budgets and staffing costs alone, in order to provide a response.
	The Department of Health (DH) became responsible for funding drug and alcohol treatment services in prisons and the community in England from April 2011. Responsibility for deciding which drug and alcohol prevention, treatment and recovery services to commission and fund has been devolved to local partnerships as these are considered best placed to determine what is required to meet local needs. As such, information about which specific drug and alcohol treatment programmes have been removed in each establishment is not held centrally.

Prisons: Drugs

Ian Lavery: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  how much was spent on providing methadone to drugs programmes in prisons in England and Wales in each year between 2005 and 2012;
	(2)  how many prisoners in England and Wales were being prescribed methadone while in custody in the latest period for which figures are available.

Crispin Blunt: Data on how much was spent on providing methadone to drug programmes in prisons in England and Wales are not held centrally. Total spent on all clinical substance misuse interventions, including the provision of methadone, in England between 2005-12 is shown in the table. Funding for the provision of clinical drug treatment in public sector prisons in Wales is the responsibility of the Welsh Government.
	Additionally, from April 2011, the Department of Health also invested £70 million per annum on psychosocial interventions in English prisons, which are designed to assist dependent users to recover from their addiction, including those on methadone.
	In 2010-11, a total of 61,109 prisoners received a clinical drug intervention. Of these 30,650 (50%) received a maintenance prescription for opioid dependency of either methadone or buprenorphine. 30,459 received a detoxification treatment.(1)
	(1) NOMS Performance DATA
	
		
			 Funding from the Department of Health (DH) to commission enhanced clinical drug treatment services in adult prisons in England from 2005-12 (1) 
			 £ million 
			  2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 
			 Integrated Drug Treatment System (IDTS) 0 12.0 13.2 22.4 38.5 44.5 44.5 
		
	
	
		
			 Baseline(2) 11 11.0 11.0 11.0 11.0 11.0 11.0 
			 Total 11 23 24.2 33.4 49.5 55.5 55.5 
			 (1) Figures provided by Department of Health. (2) Detoxification allocation that predates IDTS and is held in primary care trust (PCT) generic prison health care budgets.

Ranby Prison

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prisoners have made allegations against staff at HM Prison Ranby in the last 12 months which resulted in an investigation.

Crispin Blunt: In the 12-month period from February 2011 to January 2012 there were 28 formal investigations commissioned in respect of HMP Ranby, of which three are known to be as a result of allegations made by prisoners against staff. From centrally-held records it is not known how many of the remaining 25 cases relate to prisoner allegations against staff. However, we will seek to clarify by checking individual investigations reports and I will write to the hon. Member when these inquiries have been completed.

Reoffenders

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps he plans to take to improve justice outcomes and reduce reoffending.

Crispin Blunt: On 27 March 2012, the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, my right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Rushcliffe (Mr Clarke), published two consultations, entitled “Punishment and Reform: Effective Community Sentences” and “Punishment and Reform: Effective Probation Services”. They set out the Government's proposals to radically overhaul community sentences to deliver tough and credible punishments; these are supported by far-reaching changes to the probation service, the better to punish offenders, reduce re-offending and protect the public. We will publish our response to both consultations in the autumn.

Retirement

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many (a) civil servants and (b) senior civil servants have retired from his Department since May 2010; and if he will make a statement.

Kenneth Clarke: I will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

Sexual Offences

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many offenders with (a) one conviction, (b) two convictions and (c) three or more convictions for a sexual offence there were in each of the last five years.

Crispin Blunt: The following table shows the number of offenders convicted of a sexual offence in England and Wales in each year between 2007 and 2011. The table provides a breakdown of the number of offenders convicted at one, two or three and more sentencing occasions in each year.
	These figures have been drawn from the police’s administrative IT system, the police national computer, which, as with any large scale recording system, is subject to possible errors with data entry and processing. The figures are provisional and subject to change as more information is recorded by the police.
	
		
			 Table: Number of offenders convicted for a sexual offence between the year 2007 and 2011, in England and Wales 
			  Number of sentencing occasions in the year Number of offenders convicted of a sexual offence 
			 2007 1 5,183 
			  2 57 
			  3 or more 4 
			    
			 2008 1 5,198 
			  2 49 
			  3 or more 3 
			    
			 2009 1 5,268 
			  2 44 
			  3 or more — 
			    
			 2010 1 5,787 
			  2 76 
			  3 or more 4 
			    
			 2011 1 5,738 
			  2 89 
			  3 or more 6

Sexual Offences

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the average time spent in prison was by an offender convicted of (a) rape and (b) other sexual offences aged (i) 16 years or under, (ii) 16 to 18 years, (iii) 18 to 21 years and (iv) 21 years and over when the offence was committed in each of the last five years.

Crispin Blunt: The following table gives the average time served in custody for those released from prison having served sentences for rape, other sexual offences and all sexual offences, by age group, 2007 to 2011.
	The prison data held centrally does not include the age of offender when the offence was committed. The age of the offender within the table is based on a proxy of when they were received into prison.
	These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.
	
		
			 Average time served by prisoners from determinate sentences for selected offences by age, England and Wales 
			 Offence Age group 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 
			 Rape Aged 15 to less than 16 (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— 
			  Aged 16 to less than 18 35.5 39.7 35.4 36.8 33.7 
			  Aged 18 to less than 21 44.5 41.6 45.3 43.3 36.9 
			  Aged 21 and over 60.5 60.6 59.5 57.4 56.6 
			 Other sexual offences Aged 15 to less than 16 (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— 
			  Aged 16 to less than 18 11.3 12.1 8.6 16.3 12.2 
			  Aged 18 to less than 21 16.4 16.5 17.1 15.6 16.6 
			  Aged 21 and over 22.9 21.0 21.0 20.2 21.8 
			 All sexual offences Aged 15 to less than 16 (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— 
			  Aged 16 to less than 18 26.7 28.0 22.0 28.5 24.6 
			  Aged 18 to less than 21 26.4 26.4 28.4 27.6 24.8 
			  Aged 21 and over 32.7 31.2 30.2 31.3 32.4 
			 (1) Figure suppressed as number too small to give meaningful average. Data Sources and Quality: These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.

Sexual Offences

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the highest number was of previous convictions for sexual assault for an individual convicted of an offence of sexual assault without being sent to prison in each of the last three years; and how many offences each such offender had committed in total at the point of sentence for that offence.

Crispin Blunt: The following table shows the highest number of previous convictions for sexual assault for individuals convicted of this offence in the years 2008 to 2010 who received a sentence other than immediate custody. It also shows the total number of previous offences the offender had been convicted of sexual assault, the total number of previous offences and the number of previous immediate custodial sentences. The figures provided cover sexual assault and unlawful sexual activity, as defined by the Sexual Offences Act 2003, but exclude rape.
	These figures have been drawn from the police's administrative IT system, the police national computer, which, as with any large scale recording system, is subject to possible errors with data entry and processing. The figures are provisional and subject to change as more information is recorded by the police.
	
		
			 The highest number of previous convictions for sexual assault, for someone convicted of this offence without being sent to prison, in England and Wales in the years 2008 to 2010 
			  2008 2009 2010 
			 Number of previous convictions for sexual assault, for an offender convicted of sexual assault, who received a sentence other than immediate custody 18 31 27 
		
	
	
		
			 Number of all previous offences committed at the time of sentence for the offender convicted of sexual assault 77 31 33 
			 Number of previous immediate custodial sentences for any offence 51 25 2

Sick Leave

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many sick days were taken by staff in his Department in each of the last three years.

Kenneth Clarke: The number of sick days taken by staff in the Ministry of Justice (including the staff of Her Majesty’s Prison Service) in each of the last three years for which information is available, is provided in the following table.
	
		
			 April to March each year Number of staff sick days 
			 2008-09 731,042 
			 2009-10 749,723 
			 2010-11 671,917

Travel

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many journeys (a) Ministers and (b) officials from his Department made by (i) train, (ii) coach and (iii) Government car in an official capacity in each of the last six months.

Kenneth Clarke: The Ministry of Justice (MOJ) receives Management Information (MI) that includes information on rail journeys made on a quarterly basis. During the financial year of 2011-12 the MI shows that 33,183 journeys were made in quarter three and 40,754 journeys were made in quarter four. This information includes single and return trips where a single trip is one journey and a return trip represents two journeys and does not distinguish between Ministers and officials. MOJ had 71,594 staff as at 31 January 2012.
	MI held on details of journeys made by Ministers and officials using the Government provider, the Government Car and Despatch Agency (GCDA), shows the following information:
	
		
			  Journeys 
			 October 2011 155 
			 November 2011 172 
			 December 2011 81 
			 January 2012 141 
			 February 2012 160 
			 March 2012 168 
		
	
	Analysis of the MI suggests that less than 5% of these journeys were made by officials.
	The Ministry of Justice also makes use of an allocated car and driver, also from GCDA. Details of all journeys made using this car are not recorded as there is no business need to do so.
	To collect the remaining information requested would exceed the disproportionate cost threshold for answering parliamentary questions.

Victim Support Schemes

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will amend his Department's consultation paper entitled Getting it right for Victims and Witnesses to include measures to support bereaved families living in the UK whose relatives who are British nationals have been killed abroad.

Crispin Blunt: The consultation closed on 22 April. The Government will publish its response to the consultation in the summer, taking account of the many comments we have received on our proposals.

Victim Support Schemes

Ian Lavery: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what account his Department has taken of the views of victims organisations in developing its proposals for local commissioning;
	(2)  what account his Department has taken of the views of victims and witnesses in developing its proposals for local commissioning;
	(3)  what steps he expects police and crime commissioners to take to enable those victims of crime who find it hardest to access support to receive support;
	(4)  what effect he expects the local commissioning of services for victims and witnesses to have on (a) services for victims and (b) the satisfaction rating with services;
	(5)  how plans for local commissioning of victims services will affect minimum quality standards across England and Wales;
	(6)  if he will consider ring-fencing resources for victims services when they are devolved to police and crime commissioners.

Crispin Blunt: Our proposals for local commissioning took account of input from organisations which support or represent victims and witnesses. We expect our proposals to deliver positive outcomes for victims and provide value for money for the taxpayer.
	Members of the public and other interested parties were encouraged to respond to the consultation, which began in January, and people had the opportunity to participate in a number of consultation events around the country. The consultation has now closed.
	We shall consider the many points made by respondents and come forward with a Government response to the consultation in the summer. In doing so, we shall take careful account of issues raised with us such as ring-fencing, quality standards and access to services.

Written Questions: Government Responses

Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice when he plans to provide a substantive answer to question 104023, on management consultants, tabled on 17 April 2012 for answer on 23 April 2012.

Kenneth Clarke: A substantive answer to question 104023 was provided by my Department on 25 April, which was two days after the response date. The delay in responding to the original question was caused by the need to research back to the original Shared Services implementation NOMS/HM Prison Service in 2005-06.

Young Offenders

David Lammy: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 27 February 2012, Official Report, column 76W, on Feltham young offender institution, how much funding for the Daedalus initiative came from (a) the European social fund, (b) the Greater London authority, (c) the Youth Justice Board and (d) other sources in each year of the project.

Crispin Blunt: The funding from the Greater London authority (including matched European social funding), the Youth Justice Board and other sources in each year of the Daedalus project is shown in the following table.
	
		
			 Daedalus project funding 
			 £ 
			  Greater London authority/ European social fund Youth Justice Board Other sources Total 
			 2008-09 — — 20,000 20,000 
			 2009-10 488,693 73,744 33,334 595,771 
			 2010-11 395,797 147,488 78,990 622,275 
			 2011-12 641,613 147,488 78,990 868,091 
			 2012-13 (1)149,790 (2)73,744 (2)39,495 263,029 
			 (1) Estimate (2) Follows decision in March 2012 to continue funding additional staff on Heron Unit.

Young Offenders: Greater London

David Lammy: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many young adult offenders from each London borough aged 18 to 20 years were being held in HM Young Offender Institution (a) Aylesbury, (b) Feltham, (c) Isis, (d) Littlehey, (e) Portland, (f) Reading and (g) Rochester in each month since May 2009.

Crispin Blunt: All young offenders serving sentences of DYOI are held in appropriately designated young offender institution (YOI) accommodation within the prison estate. The majority of this accommodation is in dedicated YOIs, although some establishments in the estate have a dual designation (designated both as a prison and a YOI) and hold both adult prisoners and young offenders.
	The following table shows the number of offenders aged 18 to 20-years-old from each London borough held in Aylesbury, Feltham, Isis, Littlehey, Portland, Reading and Rochester on a set day in each month where data are available since May 2009. The data have only been recorded centrally since May 2009 and from September 2010 are available on a bi-monthly basis.
	These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.
	Information on offenders' residences is provided by offenders on reception into prison and recorded on a central IT system. Addresses can include a home address, an address to which offenders intend to return on discharge or next of kin address and these figures are provided in the table.
	If no address is given, an offender's committal court address is used as a proxy for the area in which they are resident. These figures are also included in the table. No address has been recorded and no court information is available for around 3% of all offenders, these figures are excluded from the table.
	
		
			   2009 2010 2011 2012 
			 Origin Location May Sep Nov Jan Mar May Jul Sep Nov Jan Mar 
			 Barking and Dagenham Aylesbury 7 3 2 2 1 1 1 3 3 4 4 
			  Feltham 3 1 1 2 2     2  
			  Isis  1 3 2 2 5 6 7 7 7 9 
			  Littlehey  8 8 8 6 6 8 5 3 2 3 
			  Portland 1 2 1       1  
			  Reading         1   
			  Rochester 8 4 5 2 4 4 4 3 2 3 2 
			 Barking and Dagenham total  19 19 20 16 15 16 19 18 16 19 18 
			              
			 Barnet Aylesbury 9 8 6 6 6 3 3 3 1 1 1 
			  Feltham 6 8 8 10 11 10 6 3 2 10 8 
			  Isis  4 3 2 5 9 9 8 7 5 6 
			  Littlehey   6 6 6 5 5 4 4 4 4 
			  Portland 8 6 6 5 4 5 3 3 2 3 1 
			  Reading 1  1 1 1   1 1  1 
			  Rochester 3 3 5 2 2 3 2 2 5 4 4 
			 Barnet total  27 29 35 32 35 35 28 24 22 27 25 
			              
			 Bexley Aylesbury 2 1       1 1 1 
			  Feltham 2 1 3 1 1 3 3 2 3 4 3 
			  Isis  2 2 1 2   1 1 1 2 
			  Littlehey  1 1 1 2  1 1 1  1 
			  Portland 3           
			  Reading        1    
			  Rochester 4 7 4 3 5 4 3 3 3 3 2 
			 Bexley total  11 12 10 6 10 7 7 8 9 9 9 
			              
			 Brent Aylesbury 7 10 9 8 7 5 5 6 6 10 10 
			  Feltham 20 14 9 11 11 10 8 15 14 10 5 
			  Isis  2 1 1 3 7 6 8 9 9 9 
			  Littlehey  1 6 5 4 4 3 3 3 3 3 
			  Portland 18 12 8 6 5 2 1 1 2 2 1 
			  Reading 2 3 1     1 1 1  
			  Rochester 11 8 14 10 11 3 2 4 2 2  
			 Brent total  58 50 48 41 41 31 25 38 37 37 28 
			              
			 Bromley Aylesbury 4 1 1  1 2 2 2 2 2 1 
			  Feltham 4  1      1 3 3 
			  Isis  2 1   1 1 2 2 2 2 
			  Littlehey    1 1      1 
			  Portland 1 3 2 2 2 1 1     
			  Reading          1  
			  Rochester 6 2 3 3 3 2 5 5 7 6 9 
			 Bromley total  15 8 8 6 7 6 9 9 12 14 16 
		
	
	
		
			              
			 Camden Aylesbury 3     1 1 1 1 1 1 
			  Feltham 5 6 3 3 7 5 2 6 4 7 3 
			  Isis  1  2 3 5 6 7 6 7 5 
			  Littlehey   2 1   2 2 2 3 5 
			  Portland 14 7 6 4 3 4 2 2    
			  Reading         2   
			  Rochester 10 8 8 9 10 7 2 2  1 1 
			 Camden total  32 22 19 19 23 22 15 20 15 19 15 
			              
			 City of London Aylesbury 1 5 4 3 2 2 2 3 2 2 2 
			  Feltham 6 6 8 15 18 24 20 21 20 28 26 
			  Isis  2 1 2 3 3 3 3 5 5 7 
			  Littlehey  1 2 1 2 3 3 4 2 4 4 
			  Portland 3  3 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 
			  Reading     1       
			  Rochester 4 3 2 2 3 3 3 4 4 4 4 
			 City of London total  14 17 20 24 31 37 33 37 35 45 45 
			              
			 Croydon Aylesbury 11 12 9 10 11 10 12 13 6 10 11 
			  Feltham 8 6 10 12 12 9 5 6 9 8 4 
			  Isis  7 8 7 8 10 11 11 12 13 9 
			  Littlehey  2 4 4 5 5 5 7 6 6 5 
			  Portland 8 4 4 3 3 2 4 4 3 3 2 
			  Reading 3     3 2 2 4 1 5 
			  Rochester 21 23 24 23 26 23 22 20 14 11 16 
			 Croydon total  51 54 59 59 65 62 61 63 54 52 52 
			              
			 Ealing Aylesbury 6 3 2 2 2 3 3 3 2 3 4 
			  Feltham 19 18 8 14 18 11 15 10 12 5 6 
			  Isis  1 1 3 5 4 5 9 9 10 9 
			  Littlehey   1 4 3 2 4 4 4 4 3 
			  Portland 14 5 5 2 1     1  
			  Reading  1      1 2 2 2 
			  Rochester 10 14 14 10 11 7 2 7 3 2 2 
			 Ealing total  49 42 31 35 40 27 29 34 32 27 26 
			              
			 Enfield Aylesbury 5 6 4 6 7 6 5 5 6 7 7 
			  Feltham 8 4 4 5 7 4 5 6 2 3  
			  Isis  3 3 3 4 2 1 7 8 12 9 
			  Littlehey  2 2 4 5 4 7 5 3 1 2 
			  Portland 13 2 3 1 1 1 1 1 1   
			  Reading 1 1    1      
			  Rochester 13 14 10 13 10 8 10 13 10 7 4 
			 Enfield total  40 32 26 32 34 26 29 37 30 30 22 
			              
			 Greenwich Aylesbury 12 5 5 5 6 5 4 7 7 7 7 
			  Feltham 23 24 11 17 24 22 36 31 29 37 39 
			  Isis  5 4 4 5 9 10 16 16 18 17 
		
	
	
		
			  Littlehey  2 7 7 5 4 5 6 5 5 8 
			  Portland 18 8 5 2 1 2 1     
			  Reading     5   5 2  1 
			  Rochester 11 16 17 15 13 13 13 12 10 12 16 
			 Greenwich total  64 60 49 50 59 55 69 77 69 79 88 
			              
			 Hackney Aylesbury 11 12 10 8 8 8 6 5 5 9 8 
			  Feltham 10 5 3 2 3 2 5 6 5 8 3 
			  Isis  3 4 4 8 10 16 22 17 14 8 
			  Littlehey  14 15 15 13 12 8 9 6 4 4 
			  Portland 5 3 3 2 1   1 1 3 2 
			  Reading  1 2 1        
			  Rochester 20 15 12 7 6 7 3 1 2 5 5 
			 Hackney total  46 53 49 39 39 39 38 44 36 43 30 
			              
			 Hammersmith and Fulham Aylesbury 4  1 1 1 1 1 2 2 3 3 
			  Feltham 4 9 10 6 9 5 5 9 9 15 9 
			  Isis  2 2 2 2 5 5 5 5 2 4 
			  Littlehey  3 2 2 2   1 1 1 1 
			  Portland 5 3 3 2 2 3 3 2 1 1  
			  Reading 1 1       2 1 1 
			  Rochester 12 5 7 6 5 5 5 4 2 4 4 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham total  26 23 25 19 21 19 19 23 22 27 22 
			              
			 Haringey Aylesbury 14 7 5 8 7 6 7 8 5 6 6 
			  Feltham 28 34 39 25 33 24 31 42 40 37 43 
			  Isis    10 10 15 19 14 25 31 39 
			  Littlehey  4 5 6 9 11 15 15 12 25 25 
			  Portland 10 5 7 3 2 2 2   2 3 
			  Reading 1 2 1   1 1 3 4 1 1 
			  Rochester 15 21 16 23 16 10 14 17 21 13 15 
			 Haringey total  68 73 73 75 77 69 89 99 107 115 132 
			              
			 Harrow Aylesbury 2 3 2 1   1 1 2 2 3 
			  Feltham 13 19 34 28 26 22 27 25 23 24 29 
			  Isis   1 2 5 11 13 6 14 14 15 
			  Littlehey  1 4 3 7 5 5 6 6 10 14 
			  Portland 6 4 4 3 1 1 1 1 1 1  
			  Reading 2 2 1      1 1 1 
			  Rochester 4 8 11 12 10 6 6 6 4 4 3 
			 Harrow total  27 37 57 49 49 45 53 45 51 56 65 
			              
			 Havering Aylesbury 4  1 1 2 2 2 2  1 1 
			  Feltham 2 1 1     1    
			  Isis      2 1 4 4 1  
			  Littlehey  3 3 2 1 2 1 1 1 1 3 
			  Portland 1           
			  Reading            
		
	
	
		
			  Rochester 3 2 2 1  2 2 3 3 2 2 
			 Havering total  10 6 7 4 3 8 6 11 8 5 6 
			              
			 Hillingdon Aylesbury 4 6 7 5 5 5 3 4 3 3 3 
			  Feltham 12 6 16 14 11 11 4 7 7 10 9 
			  Isis  2 2 4 2 2 7 9 10 11 9 
			  Littlehey  2 1 3 4 5 3 2 2 1  
			  Portland 2 10 10 9 5 5 4 4 2 1 1 
			  Reading 1     2 1 1 3   
			  Rochester 4 6 3 4 7 4 5 4 5 4 2 
			 Hillingdon total  23 32 39 39 34 34 27 31 32 30 24 
			              
			 Hounslow Aylesbury 4 8 4 4 3 2 1 2 3 2 2 
			  Feltham 19 32 43 39 32 29 37 38 43 40 41 
			  Isis  1 4 5 5 16 17 16 23 25 32 
			  Littlehey  3 5 4 10 13 16 14 10 11 10 
			  Portland 6 5 9 8 8 8 5 4 4 3 2 
			  Reading 2 1      1 4   
			  Rochester 12 17 10 12 9 5 4 10 10 5 8 
			 Hounslow total  43 67 75 72 67 73 80 85 97 86 95 
			              
			 Islington Aylesbury 7 3 5 3 3 3 4 4 4 3 3 
			  Feltham 14 9 14 10 10 10 10 13 17 19 18 
			  Isis  7 4 4 4 6 7 9 7 5 6 
			  Littlehey  1 1 6 4 2 3 3 2 3 5 
			  Portland 10 6 5 4 4 2 5 5 7 3 1 
			  Reading     1 1 1 3 3 2 1 
			  Rochester 8 9 3 5 7 5 2 4 5 6 1 
			 Islington total  39 35 32 32 33 29 32 41 45 41 35 
			              
			 Kensington and Chelsea Aylesbury 9 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 
			  Feltham 15 4 3 4 3 3 1 5 8 4 2 
			  Isis  1 1  2 2  3 2 2 3 
			  Littlehey  1 2 1 1 1 1    1 
			  Portland 6 3 2 2 2 1 1 1    
			  Reading 1 1  1        
			  Rochester 6 5 5 4 6 3    2 1 
			 Kensington and Chelsea total  37 16 14 13 15 11 4 10 11 9 8 
			              
			 Kingston upon Thames Aylesbury 1 2 1 2 3 3 3 3 2 4 4 
			  Feltham 9 14 20 25 32 42 37 24 14 15 24 
			  Isis  1 1 4 6 9 13 18 16 14 15 
			  Littlehey  2 2 3 3 4 8 7 6 9 6 
			  Portland 6 4 4 4 4 3 3 2 4 2 1 
			  Reading 1       2 1   
			  Rochester 6 11 11 8 9 8 13 17 12 8 8 
		
	
	
		
			 Kingston upon Thames total  23 34 39 46 57 69 77 73 55 52 58 
			              
			 Lambeth Aylesbury 17 13 10 10 12 15 14 13 15 16 12 
			  Feltham 24 15 14 11 10 9 14 13 14 9 12 
			  Isis  12 10 11 16 15 16 18 20 17 15 
			  Littlehey  5 6 4 4 4 4 3 3 3 3 
			  Portland 15 7 7 6 5 6 3 3 4 3 1 
			  Reading 1 1 1 2  2 1 1 1 1  
			  Rochester 23 15 19 17 14 12 11 11 6 5 5 
			 Lambeth total  80 68 67 61 61 63 63 62 63 54 48 
			              
			 Lewisham Aylesbury 15 5 5 7 14 14 16 17 15 16 16 
			  Feltham 37 13 14 11 7 9 7 12 12 9 7 
			  Isis  9 5 6 10 9 10 14 15 17 14 
			  Littlehey  2 4 2 2 2 1    2 
			  Portland 15 5 6 3 4 5 4 4 4 3 3 
			  Reading 1 2 1  1   3 1   
			  Rochester 18 11 11 9 6 7 13 8 10 11 9 
			 Lewisham total  86 47 46 38 44 46 51 58 57 56 51 
			              
			 Merton Aylesbury 1 2 3 4 4 3 3 3 3 3 1 
			  Feltham 4 7 6 4 5 5 5 9 6 3 3 
			  Isis  1 1 1 1 2 4 5 3 2 3 
			  Littlehey    1 1 1 2 2 2 1 1 
			  Portland 7 2 3 1 1 1 1    1 
			  Reading  1          
			  Rochester 9 1 3 3 4 7 3 4 3 2 1 
			 Merton total  21 14 16 14 16 19 18 23 17 11 10 
			              
			 Newham Aylesbury 9 10 10 11 8 8 10 9 10 11 11 
			  Feltham 21 14 15 10 8 3 5 8 10 6 5 
			  Isis  5 4 8 10 10 10 16 10 15 12 
			  Littlehey  8 12 13 8 8 1 3 3 2 2 
			  Portland 10 4 2 2 2 2 2 3 3 2 2 
			  Reading  1   1  1 1 3 2 2 
			  Rochester 22 13 11 9 15 15 14 11 12 7 9 
			 Newham total  62 55 54 53 52 46 43 51 51 45 43 
			              
			 Redbridge Aylesbury 7 5 6 6 6 6 8 12 11 10 8 
			  Feltham 3 4 8 5 2 2 3 2 5 5 5 
			  Isis  10 8 15 25 26 24 22 22 30 42 
			  Littlehey  16 21 16 18 18 19 18 17 20 17 
			  Portland 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 2 1  1 
			  Reading            
			  Rochester 13 17 16 16 17 18 13 13 14 17 14 
			 Redbridge total  24 53 60 59 69 72 68 69 70 82 87 
			              
		
	
	
		
			 Richmond upon Thames Aylesbury 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1   
			  Feltham 3 3 1 2 3 2 2 1 3 2 1 
			  Isis  1    1  1 3 2  
			  Littlehey        1 1   
			  Portland 4 1 1 1 1 1      
			  Reading         1   
			  Rochester 2 1 2 1 1 1 1 2 1   
			 Richmond upon Thames total  10 8 5 5 6 6 4 6 10 4 1 
			              
			 Southwark Aylesbury 9 4 11 8 10 7 6 9 9 11 11 
			  Feltham 20 59 84 75 95 71 97 106 90 80 88 
			  Isis  4 9 14 30 43 42 41 65 73 56 
			  Littlehey  10 21 23 33 40 30 28 35 32 30 
			  Portland 25 14 13 8 10 10 7 9 8 7 4 
			  Reading  8 4 1    9 4 1 1 
			  Rochester 16 32 47 47 33 26 28 29 29 30 44 
			 Southwark total  70 131 189 176 211 197 210 231 240 234 234 
			              
			 Sutton Aylesbury  1 2 2 2 3 3 3 2 2 2 
			  Feltham 2 2 1 1   1 3 1   
			  Isis         1 1  
			  Littlehey            
			  Portland 1  1 1 1 1 1     
			  Reading            
			  Rochester 2 4 3 4 5 4 3 3 4 4 5 
			 Sutton total  5 7 7 8 8 8 8 9 8 7 7 
			              
			 Tower Hamlets Aylesbury 8 7 7 8 9 8 7 7 7 6 6 
			  Feltham 4 8 5 2 3 3 3 2 5 6 1 
			  Isis  4 4 7 10 9 11 17 19 19 19 
			  Littlehey  4 7 3 6 5 7 8 5 4 4 
			  Portland 4 2 3 2 1 1     1 
			  Reading 1 1    1  2 1   
			  Rochester 14 10 10 5 6 5 4 1 2 2 3 
			 Tower Hamlets total  31 36 36 27 35 32 32 37 39 37 34 
			              
			 Waltham Forest Aylesbury 10 2 2 4 4 4 4 6 3 2 3 
			  Feltham 2 5 4 1 1 3 3 2 3 3 4 
			  Isis  1 1 1 6 7 8 12 10 10 11 
			  Littlehey  6 10 9 7 5 5 7 7 5 4 
			  Portland 2 1 2 2 1 1 1 1    
			  Reading 1      1     
			  Rochester 10 9 10 9 8 8 8 8 6 6 4 
			 Waltham Forest total  25 24 29 26 27 28 30 36 29 26 26 
			              
			 Wandsworth Aylesbury 4 7 4 4 5 6 5 5 5 4 3 
		
	
	
		
			  Feltham 13 17 13 14 16 16 13 12 5 13 11 
			  Isis  5 5 6 7 9 10 11 11 15 14 
			  Littlehey  5 5 4 4 4 4 5 3 2 4 
			  Portland 11 11 9 7 5 7 6 7 9 7 4 
			  Reading 1 3 1 1 1   2 4   
			  Rochester 8 14 9 9 9 7 4 7 5 5 4 
			 Wandsworth total  37 62 46 45 47 49 42 49 42 46 40 
			              
			 Westminster Aylesbury 3 5 3 3 4 4 5 7 7 6 6 
			  Feltham 10 8 19 14 16 17 12 11 12 24 10 
			  Isis  2 2 1 2 4 2 5 6 6 4 
			  Littlehey  3 2 2 1 3 3 3 4 5 7 
			  Portland 1 2 6 4 3 3 2 2 3 3 2 
			  Reading  1 1 1    2    
			  Rochester 2 3 7 7 5 4 4 6 6 3 3 
			 Westminster total  16 24 40 32 31 35 28 36 38 47 32

Young Offenders: Greater London

David Lammy: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many young adult offenders aged 18 to 20 years old from the (a) London Borough of Barnet, (b) London Borough of Bexley, (c) London Borough of Bromley, (d) London Borough of Croydon, (e) London Borough of Hillingdon, (f) Royal Borough of Kingston-upon-Thames and (g) London borough of Sutton were held in (i) young offender institutions, (ii) local prisons, (iii) women's prisons and (iv) other parts of the secure estate in each month since May 2009.

Crispin Blunt: All young offenders serving sentences of DYOI are held in appropriately designated young offender institution (YOI) accommodation within the prison estate. The majority of this accommodation is in dedicated YOIs, although some establishments in the estate have a dual designation (designated both as a prison and a YOI) and hold both adult prisoners and young offenders.
	The following tables show the number of offenders aged 18-20 years old with a recorded residential address or proxy in the London boroughs of Barnet, Bexley, Bromley, Croydon, Hillingdon, Kingston-upon-Thames and Sutton who were held in predominant function male young offender institutions, predominant function male local prisons, predominant function female prisons and other prisons on a set day in each month where data is available since May 2009. The data has only been recorded centrally since May 2009 and from September 2010 is available on a bi-monthly basis.
	These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.
	Information on offenders' residences is provided by offenders on reception into prison and recorded on a central IT system. Addresses can include a home address, an address to which offenders intend to return on discharge or next of kin address and these figures are provided in the following table.
	
		
			   2009 2010 2011 2012 
			 Origin local authority Prison f unction May Sep Nov Jan Mar May Jul Sep Nov Jan Mar 
			 Barnet (a) Male Young Offender Institutions 32 28 28 27 27 32 26 24 23 25 23 
			  (b) Male local Prisons 2 0 1 0 0 2 4 2 0 1 2 
			  (c) Female Prisons 1 2 2 0 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 
			  (d) Other Prisons 2 6 11 8 12 8 7 6 6 5 4 
			 Barnet total  37 36 42 35 40 43 38 33 30 33 30 
		
	
	
		
			   2009 2010 2011 2012 
			 Origin local authority Prison function May Sep Nov Jan Mar May Jul Sep Nov Jan Mar 
			 Bexley (a) Male Young Offender Institutions 12 10 7 4 6 7 6 7 8 9 8 
			  (b) Male local Prisons 6 3 1 7 6 5 10 6 7 6 6 
			  (c) Female Prisons 4 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 0 
			  (d) Other Prisons 0 5 5 2 4 0 1 2 2 1 2 
			 Bexley total  22 18 13 13 17 13 17 16 18 16 16 
		
	
	
		
			   2009 2010 2011 2012 
			 Origin local authority Prison function May Sep Nov Jan Mar May Jul Sep Nov Jan Mar 
			 Bromley (a) Male Young Offender Institutions 18 6 7 5 6 6 10 9 13 14 16 
			  (b) Male local Prisons 8 8 8 8 6 7 4 6 7 7 8 
			  (c) Female Prisons 0 2 1 3 4 3 3 5 5 4 3 
			  (d) Other Prisons 2 3 3 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 
			 Bromley total  28 19 19 18 18 16 17 20 25 25 28 
		
	
	
		
			   2009 2010 2011 2012 
			 Origin local authority Prison function May Sep Nov Jan Mar May Jul Sep Nov Jan Mar 
			 Croydon (a) Male Young Offender Institutions 58 52 57 51 55 59 59 59 50 48 49 
			  (b) Male local Prisons 14 36 32 29 36 35 37 51 46 25 20 
			  (c) Female Prisons 8 8 6 9 8 5 5 12 9 7 10 
			  (d) Other Prisons 2 15 18 16 14 9 8 9 8 6 5 
			 Croydon total  82 111 113 105 113 108 109 131 113 86 84 
		
	
	
		
			   2009 2010 2011 2012 
			 Origin local authority Prison function May Sep Nov Jan Mar May Jul Sep Nov Jan Mar 
			 Hillingdon (a) Male Young Offender Institutions 31 32 38 32 29 31 26 29 32 31 27 
			  (b) Male local Prisons 2 2 0 0 0 0 1 2 1 2 0 
			  (c) Female Prisons 1 2 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 
			  (d) Other Prisons 4 4 3 7 6 5 3 2 2 1 0 
			 Hillingdon total  38 40 44 39 36 36 30 33 35 35 28 
		
	
	
		
			   2009 2010 2011 2012 
			 Origin local authority Prison function May Sep Nov Jan Mar May Jul Sep Nov Jan Mar 
			 Kingston upon Thames (a) Male Young Offender Institutions 24 33 38 41 50 68 70 67 52 44 53 
			  (b) Male local Prisons 4 5 2 1 1 2 0 1 3 2 2 
			  (c) Female Prisons 1 6 5 3 3 2 2 3 3 1 0 
			  (d) Other Prisons 1 3 3 7 9 4 8 8 7 9 6 
			 Kingston upon Thames total  30 47 48 52 63 76 80 79 65 56 61 
		
	
	
		
			   2009 2010 2011 2012 
			 Origin local authority Prison function May Sep Nov Jan Mar May Jul Sep Nov Jan Mar 
			 Sutton (a) Male Young Offender Institutions 7 8 10 10 8 8 8 10 9 10 10 
			  (b) Male local Prisons 1 3 3 5 5 3 5 6 4 6 1 
			  (c) Female Prisons 2 0 0 0 1 0 1 2 1 1 1 
			  (d) Other Prisons 0 0 0 0 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 
			 Sutton total  10 11 13 15 16 13 16 19 15 18 13

ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Animals

Simon Danczuk: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what animals are allowed on his Department's premises.

Gregory Barker: holding answer 19 April 2012
	To date, in common with many other Departments, the Department of Energy and Climate Change has not had a formal policy on this matter.

Carbon Emissions

Dominic Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many Certified Emissions Reduction credits were purchased by the Government under the Clean Development Mechanism in each year from 2005 to 2012 to date; and what the cost was of purchasing those credits in each year.

Gregory Barker: holding answer 30 April 2012
	The auction for the Government Carbon Offsetting Facility (GCOF) Phase 1 the total number of Certified Emissions Reduction (CER) credits purchased was 305,000 at a cost of £3,022,550. This covers the period April 2006 to March 2009.
	The first auction for GCOF Phase 2 commenced in March 2010 and to date the number of credits for each year is:
	2010 Total credits = 141,558 @ total cost = £1,816,739
	2011 Total credits = 153,379 @ total cost £1,304,463
	This information is available on the DECC website:
	http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/emissions/co2_offsetting/gov_offsetting/gov_data/gov_data.aspx
	The results of the seventh auction, included in the figures above, will be published shortly.

Carbon Emissions

Dominic Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much commission was paid by the Government when purchasing Certified Emissions Reduction credits under the Clean Development Mechanism in each year from 2005 to 2012 to date; and to which companies this commission was paid.

Gregory Barker: holding answer 30 April 2012
	The Government do not pay commissions to suppliers when purchasing Certified Emissions Reduction credits under the Clean Development Mechanism. Individual Government Departments taking part in an e-auction pay the winning supplier only for the cost of the carbon they offset.

Carbon Emissions

Dominic Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change from which Clean Development Mechanism projects the Certified Emissions Reduction credits purchased by the Government originated in each year from 2005 to 2012 to date.

Gregory Barker: holding answer 30 April 2012
	Details of the projects covered by Government Carbon Offsetting Facility (GCOF) Phase 1 and Phase 2 (GCOF1 and 2) can be found on DECC's website at:
	http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/emissions/co2_offsetting/gov_offsetting/gov_projects/gov_projects.aspx
	For convenience they are shown as follows. All projects originate in China, India or Brazil.
	GCOF 2
	The latest project 7 in March 2012 had to be conducted as two separate auctions and so we have two winners:
	South Pole Carbon Asset Management Ltd—Renewable wind, location India
	RWE Supply and Trading Switzerland- Renewable wind, China
	Project 6—won by RWE Supply and Trading Switzerland S.A—Hebei Chengde Songshan Wind Farm Project—CDM type: Wind Farm Project—Location: China
	Project 5—won by First Climate Markets AG—Cruz Alta Bagasse Cogeneration Project—CDM type: Bagasse-based cogeneration connected to an electricity grid—Location: Brazil
	Project 4—won by RWE Supply and Trading Switzerland S.A—Hebei Shangyi Manjing East Wind Farm Project—CDM type: Wind—renewable energy—Location: China
	Project 3—won by EDF Trading (for spot purchase) and Essent Trading International S.A. (for forward purchase)—Inner Mongolia Wudaogou 50.25MW Wind Power Project—CDM type: Wind—renewable energy—Location: China
	Project 2—won by First Climate Markets AG—KMS Power 6MW Renewable Sources Biomass Power Project—CDM type: Biomass—Renewable energy—Location: India
	Project 1—won by Essent Trading International SA—Hebei Shangyi Manjing East Wind Farm Project—CDM type: Wind—Renewable energy—Location: China
	GCOF1 Projects
	The Horizonte wind generation project—CDM type: Wind—Renewable energy, Location: Brazil
	Cucau bagasse cogeneration project, CDM type: Biomass—Renewable energy, Location: Brazil
	Sri Balaji 6MW non-conventional renewable sources biomass power project—CDM type: Biomass—Renewable energy, Location: India
	Gayatri agro industrial power—CDM type: Biomass—Renewable energy, Location: India
	Sri Indra Power Energies—CDM type: Biomass—Renewable energy, Location: India
	Gansu Zhouqu Shimenping 15MW hydropower station project—CDM type: Small hydro power—Renewable energy, Location: China
	Pesqueiro Energia small hydroelectric project—CDM type: Small hydro power—Renewable energy, Location: Brazil
	CAMIL Itaqui biomass electricity generation project—CDM type: Biomass—Renewable energy Location: Brazil
	Perpetual 7.5MW non-conventional renewable sources biomass power project—CDM Type: Biomass—Renewable energy, Location: India
	Shalivahana non-conventional renewable sources biomass power project—CDM type: Biomass—Renewable energy, Location: India
	KMS power 6MW renewable sources biomass power project—CDM type: Biomass—Renewable Energy, Location: India

Electricity Generation

Alun Cairns: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether he plans to introduce capacity payments for non-nuclear electricity generating plants.

Charles Hendry: Government intends to design and legislate for a capacity market to ensure security of supply. It is expected that all providers of reliable capacity will be able to participate in the capacity market, potentially subject to some limitations on low carbon plants.
	More information on the developing design of the capacity market will be published later in the spring.

Energy: Conservation

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what plans he has for innovation funding for the application of pre-commercial technologies which can achieve significant energy savings in existing non-domestic buildings; and if he will make a statement.

Gregory Barker: On 8 March 2012, DECC announced the allocation of up to £10 million to support retrofit applications which can improve the energy efficiency of existing non domestic buildings. DECC will partner with the Technology Strategy Board (TSB) to launch this competition known as 'Invest in Innovative Refurb'. The three year scheme launched on 30 April 2012.
	The funding will be made available in two tranches. The first tranche of the competition opens on 30 April 2012 and applicants must register their interest by 6 June 2012. Applications must be submitted by 13 June 2012. The second tranche will open in mid October.

Environment Protection

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer of 19 April 2012, Official Report, column 484W, on environmental protection, how much of the £20 million allocated to marine energy array demonstration projects has been (a) allocated to projects and (b) spent.

Gregory Barker: The Marine Energy Array Demonstrator (MEAD) scheme was launched on 5 April 2012 and the deadline for applications is the 1 June 2012. A two stage assessment and selection process will follow with final award of grants expected in late 2012/early 2013.
	To date, no grant funds have been committed to specific projects nor has any of the grant been spent.

Environment Protection

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer of 19 April 2012, Official Report, column 484W, on environmental protection, how much of the £15 million allocated to the offshore wind accelerator project has been (a) allocated to projects and (b) spent.

Gregory Barker: The offshore wind accelerator (OWA) is being delivered by the Carbon Trust who have been allocated the entire budget under a grant agreement. Carbon Trust have informed us in their quarterly report that the DECC spend on the offshore wind accelerator to date is £3,150,000.

Environment Protection

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer of 19 April 2012, Official Report, column 484W, on environment protection, how much of the £15 million allocated to offshore wind innovative components has been (a) allocated to projects and (b) spent.

Gregory Barker: The first call for proposals for the offshore wind component technologies development and Demonstration scheme closed in December 2011 and resulted in grant awards to four companies with a fifth in the final stages of negotiation. The total allocated to date is approximately £4 million.
	The total cash spend as of 31 March 2012 is £310,000.

Environment Protection

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer of 19 April 2012, Official Report, column 484W, on environment protection, how much of the £15 million allocated to the Bioenergy Fund has been (a) allocated to projects and (b) spent.

Gregory Barker: Of the £15 million allocated to Bioenergy, approximately £7 million has been allocated to projects with the Carbon Trust. In the Carbon Trust business plan for delivery of DECC-funded Innovation activity dated March 2012, they indicate that they have spent approximately £3 million.
	The remaining funding has been allocated to projects which will be announced this summer.

Environment Protection

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer of 19 April 2012, Official Report, column 484W, on environment protection, how much of the £35 million allocated to buildings energy efficiency projects has been (a) allocated to projects and (b) spent.

Gregory Barker: A total of £35.8 million has been allocated by the Department of Energy and Climate Change to buildings energy efficiency projects. This comprises £2.8 million for a demonstration scheme to test the performance of heat pumps integrated with thermal storage, which incurred full spend of the total £2.8 million in FY 2011-12.
	The other buildings schemes where spend has been allocated but are due to be launched from the end of April/May 2012 are:
	Up to £10 million to support innovative technologies and processes to save energy in existing non domestic buildings;
	£20 million of the £35 million Energy Entrepreneur's Fund, which seeks to support innovation in SMEs and stimulate private sector investment in energy saving technologies for buildings;
	Up to £3 million for an advanced thermal storage competition which aims to assess the performance of compact storage for use with heating technologies in the domestic sector.

Environment Protection

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer of 19 April 2012, Official Report, column 484W, on environment protection, how much of the £180 million allocated to support schemes for low-carbon technologies has been spent.

Gregory Barker: The innovation spending by DECC in financial year ended 31 March 2012 was £29 million. This comprised the new theme areas announced plus some legacy innovation projects.

Gas and Electricity Markets Authority

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the written answer of 23 April 2012, Official Report, column 618W, on Ofgem, what the largest amount paid to an individual member of staff as a bonus was in  (a)  2010 and (b) 2011.

Charles Hendry: holding answer 30 April 2012
	The bonus payments of the most senior members of Ofgem are published each year by Ofgem. In 2010, the largest bonus payment made to a member of staff was £41,000, following agreement with the Cabinet Office in 2007. In 2011, it was £15,000.

Heating: Radioactive Materials

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what information he has received from the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority on plans to ship radioactively contaminated heat exchangers from Magnox nuclear plant to Studsvik Nuclear AB at Nykoping in Sweden for treatment.

Charles Hendry: The Office for Nuclear Regulation informed the Department of the plan to transport them to Sweden. The plans to ship these heat exchangers were fully approved by the relevant regulators.

Meters

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent discussions his Department has had with Ofgem on raising the debt level threshold which must be met by prepaid meter customers to switch supplier.

Charles Hendry: DECC Ministers and officials meet with Ofgem on a regular basis to discuss market issues.
	Ofgem is responsible for regulating gas and electricity supply, including the rules governing the use of prepayment meters. The debt assignment protocol helps prepayment meter customers with a debt less or equal to £200 to switch providing the new supplier agrees to take on the debt. Ofgem monitors the protocol's effectiveness by recording the number of customers blocked from switching as a result of debt It is for Ofgem to decide whether any further action is required.

Wind Power

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will increase the minimum distance that wind turbines must be sited from dwellings.

Bob Neill: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department for Communities and Local Government.
	I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave today.

EDUCATION

Academies

Ian Mearns: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what proportion of converter academies have (a) formal and (b) other arrangements to help another school raise its performance.

Nick Gibb: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member before Prorogation.

Academies

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what proportion of primary schools in (a) Witham constituency and (b) Essex have converted to academy status in the last 12 months.

Nick Gibb: As of 1 April 2012:
	(a) none of the 32 primary schools in Witham have converted to academy status since April 2011.
	(b) in Essex, 29 of 459 primary schools have converted to academy status since April 2011, which is 6% of all state maintained primary schools in Essex.

Academies

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what proportion of secondary schools in (a) Witham constituency and (b) Essex have converted to academy status in the last 12 months.

Nick Gibb: As of 1 April 2012:
	(a) in Witham, three of five secondary schools have converted to academy status since April 2011, which is 60% of state maintained secondary schools within the constituency.
	(b) in Essex, 41 of 76 secondary schools have converted to academy status since April 2011, which is 54% of all state maintained primary schools within Essex.

Academies

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what advice and guidance his Department provides to primary school governing bodies who are considering academy status.

Nick Gibb: Full details on the steps to becoming an academy are available on the DFE website at:
	http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/leadership/typesofschools/academies
	When a school registers an interest to convert a DfE official will contact the school and will guide and support them throughout the conversion process.

Academies: Press Releases

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will instruct officials in his Department not to require supportive quotes from academies for use in press releases.

Nick Gibb: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member before Prorogation.

Academies: Sponsorship

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many academies there were on the latest date for which figures are available; how many of those were sponsored by a private donor; and how much has been donated to each sponsored academy.

Nick Gibb: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member before Prorogation.

Adoption: Sussex

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many children in (a) Mid Sussex constituency and (b) West Sussex were in foster care awaiting adoption in each of the last five years.

Tim Loughton: holding answer 25 April 2012
	The information requested for West Sussex local authority can be found in the tables. Information at constituency level is not available.
	The decision that a looked after child should be placed for adoption is made by the local authority but the local authority cannot actually place the child with prospective adopters without either a placement order or parental consent (depending on the individual circumstances of the case).
	Information about the decision that a child should be placed for adoption has only been collected for all looked after children, for whom the decision was made, since 2009. Previously, this information was only given when the child had been adopted.
	Consequently, the number of children waiting for adoption can only be provided for the last three years.
	
		
			 Looked after children for whom the decision was made that they should be placed for adoption while placed in foster care, who were then placed for adoption, adopted, had the decision that they should be placed for adoption reversed or who were still waiting to be adopted at 31 March (1,2,3,4) , years ending 31 March 2009 to 2011, coverage:  West Sussex 
			 Number 
			   Year in which the child was placed for adoption, adopted, for whom the decisi on was reversed or was waiting t o be adopted 
			   2009 
			 Year in which the decision was made that the child should be placed for adoption Number  of children in foster care for whom the decision was made that they should be placed for adoption Number  of children placed for adoption (5) Number  of children adopted Number  for whom the decision was reversed Number  at 31 March awaiting adoption (6) 
			 2009 35 10 * 0 30 
			 2010 65 n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 2011 20 n/a n/a n/a n/a 
		
	
	
		
			 Number 
			   Year in which the child was placed for adoption, adopted, for whom the decisi on was reversed or was waiting t o be adopted 
			   2010 
			 Year in which the decision was made that the child should be placed for adoption Number  of children in foster care for whom the decision was made that they should be placed for adoption Number  of children placed for adoption (5) Number  of children adopted Number  for whom the decision was reversed Number  at 31 March awaiting adoption (6) 
			 2009 35 15 15 * 15 
			 2010 65 25 0 * 60 
			 2011 20 n/a n/a n/a n/a 
		
	
	
		
			 Number 
			   Year in which the child was placed for adoption, adopted, for whom the decisi on was reversed or was waiting t o be adopted 
			   2011 
			 Year in which the decision was made that the child should be placed for adoption Number  of children in foster care for whom the decision was made that they should be placed for adoption Number  of children placed for adoption (5) Number  of children adopted Number  for whom the decision was reversed Number  at 31 March awaiting adoption (6) 
			 2009 35 * * 0 10 
			 2010 65 30 30 * 25 
			 2011 20 15 * * 20 
			 * = Figures not shown in order to protect confidentiality. n/a = Not applicable. (1) Numbers have been rounded to the nearest 5. Consequently, the figures may not add up. For confidentiality purposes, numbers from one to five inclusive have been replaced by an asterisk (*). Where any number is shown as zero (0), the original figure submitted was zero (0). (2) Only children looked after in a foster care placement when the decision was made that they should be placed for adoption have been counted. (3) For children living with the family intending to adopt them (i.e. placed for adoption), it is for the prospective adopters to apply to court for an adoption order. (4) Children waiting to be placed for adoption may either be waiting for a placement order to be made by the court or be in the process of being matched with prospective adopters. (5) The number of children placed for adoption during the year may include some children who were also adopted that year. (6) The number of children at 31 March awaiting adoption is calculated as the total number of children in foster care for whom the decision was made that they should be placed for adoption, minus the total number of children who were adopted, for whom the decision was reversed. The number includes children who have been placed for adoption, but for whom an adoption order has not yet been made, as well as children who have not yet been placed. Source: SSDA 303 
		
	
	Information on adopted children can be found in the Statistical First Release ‘Children Looked After by Local Authorities in England (including adoption and care leavers)—year ending 31 March 2011’, which is available on the Department’s website via the following link:
	http://www.education.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s001026/index.shtml

Building Schools for the Future Programme

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether (a) he or (b) his special advisers (i) sent or (ii) received emails relating to the Building Schools for the Future programme through their private email accounts.

Tim Loughton: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member before Prorogation.

Children in Care

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what support he plans to put in place for the parents of at-risk children to reduce the number of care applications.

Tim Loughton: The Government are committed to improving the support to families with vulnerable children. In particular we have freed local authorities to focus on essential frontline services, and to invest in early intervention and prevention in order to produce better results for children, young people and families. This includes the development of Sure Start Children's Centres, accessible to all families with young children, but focused on those in greatest need.
	The Department for Education is also supporting and part funding the Government's Troubled Families programme, which aims to transform the lives of the country's 120,000 most troubled families. These will include families with children on the edge of care.
	The Early Intervention Grant provides a substantial funding stream—worth more than £2.2 billion per annum—to support local authorities. EIG brings together funding for early intervention and preventative services for the most disadvantaged in society; for example Sure Start Children's Centres, support for families with multiple problems and targeted support for young people.
	The Department for Education is also currently funding a number of multi systemic interventions for children on the edge of care or custody and their families. These include multi systemic therapy (MST) for young people living at home and their families where there may be antisocial behaviour and offending, substance misuse and mental health problems in parents and/or children and/or domestic violence.

Children: Speech Therapy

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what recent discussions he has had with Ministers in the Department of Health on reductions in funding for speech therapy for children; and if he will make a statement.

Tim Loughton: The Secretary of State for Education, the right hon. Member for Surrey Heath (Michael Gove), has not had any recent discussions with Ministers in the Department of Health regarding reductions in funding for speech therapy for children.

Computers

Rachel Reeves: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many computers and related equipment have been purchased by his Department and its public bodies since May 2010; and what the (a) makes and (b) costs were.

Tim Loughton: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member before Prorogation.

Departmental Computers

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether (a) he or (b) his special advisers use any non-departmental issued computers or tablets for official business; and what steps he is taking to ensure that data stored on any such devices can be searched in response to requests under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Tim Loughton: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member before Prorogation.

Departmental Email

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether any (a) Ministers, (b) officials and (c) special advisers in his Department have been disciplined for using private email accounts to discuss government business since May 2010; and if he will make a statement.

Tim Loughton: holding answer 18 January 2012
	The Department is aware of two instances in which one official and one contractor used private accounts in contravention of the guidance provided to them for the work that they were undertaking. The contractor was no longer working for the Department when the contravention came to light. In the case of the official, appropriate disciplinary action was taken. Neither case involved Ministers or special advisers.

Departmental Email

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what recent guidance he has issued to (a) Ministers, (b) officials and (c) special advisers in his Department on the use of private e-mail accounts to discuss items of Government business; and if he will make a statement.

Tim Loughton: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member before Prorogation.

Departmental E-mail

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many people have contacted his Department on official business using the Mrs Blurt email account since May 2010.

Tim Loughton: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member before Prorogation.

Departmental E-mail

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what recent representations he has received from the Information Commissioner’s Office on the use of private emails and the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Tim Loughton: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member before Prorogation.

Departmental Responsibilities

Nick Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what his Ministerial engagements were between 27 March and 16 April 2012.

Tim Loughton: It has not been possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Disclosure of Information

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education when his Department most recently appealed a Decision Notice issued by the Information Commissioner; and how much his Department spent on legal fees to challenge that decision under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Tim Loughton: holding answer 12 March 2012
	The Department's most recent appeal was lodged in March 2012. To date no payments have been made in respect of external litigation services on that case.
	The costs of internal legal advice relating to the case are not held in such a way that they can be separately identified.

Disclosure of Information

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much his Department has spent on legal advice in respect of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 since September 2011.

Tim Loughton: holding answer 12 March 2012
	The Department has since September 2011 spent £18,546.86 on external legal advice and litigation services relating to two FOIA Decision Notices issued by the Information Commissioner's Office in 2011 or earlier, and a further £1,575 on general FOIA advice from counsel. The costs of internal legal advice on FOIA matters are not held in such a way that they can be separately identified.

E-mail

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether (a) he and (b) his special advisers have used the private e-mail account known as Mrs Blurt to discuss (i) the decision to cancel the Building Schools for the Future Programme in Sandwell and (ii) other Government business since 2010; on how many occasions any such usage took place; and if he will make a statement.

Tim Loughton: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member before Prorogation.

E-mail

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Liverpool, West Derby of 11 January 2012, Official Report, column 317W, on e-mail, whether (a) he and (b) his special advisers used private e-mail accounts to discuss the decision to cancel the Building Schools for the Future Programme in Sandwell; and if he will place in the Library a copy of any such item of correspondence.

Tim Loughton: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member before Prorogation.

E-mail

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education on what date he received advice from the Cabinet Office that private email accounts were outside the scope of the Freedom of Information Act 2000; from whom he received that advice; in what format it was received; and if he will place in the Library a copy of that advice.

Tim Loughton: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member before Prorogation.

E-mail

John Denham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what his policy is on the period for which emails sent and received by (a) Ministers, (b) officials, and (c) special advisers in his Department are retained; and whether such emails are recoverable from the IT systems in his Department after that period.

Tim Loughton: It has not been possible to reply to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Government Departments: Computers

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many requests have been made to his Department's IT department from (a) Ministers, (b) officials and (c) special advisers requesting information about the process of replacing their desktop computers in the last 12 months.

Tim Loughton: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member before Prorogation.

Grammar Schools

Stephen Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for Education 
	(1)  what his Department's policy is on the establishment of a satellite grammar school as proposed by Kent County Council for Sevenoaks;
	(2)  whether his Department would allow the establishment of a satellite campus of an existing grammar school following amendments to the Admissions Code in 2012.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 24 April 2012
	Current legislation prohibits the introduction of a new wholly selective maintained school or academy and we have no plans to change this.
	Kent county council, in response to an e-petition from parents in Sevenoaks, voted for an expansion of grammar school provision onto additional sites in that area. The ability to open a satellite school has been in place since the Education Act 1944 and the recent amendments to the Admissions Code to enable all types of school to be able to increase their admissions number make no change to that. Any proposal to open a selective satellite school would have to be compatible with legislation preventing the introduction of new selective schools into our education system.

Home Education

Caroline Dinenage: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many children were being home-schooled in (a) Hampshire and (b) England in the latest period for which figures are available.

Nick Gibb: It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

Home Education: Standards

Caroline Dinenage: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment his Department has made of the extent to which local authorities are fulfilling their duty to identify home-schooled children who are not receiving a suitable education.

Nick Gibb: It has not been possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

Home Education: Standards

Caroline Dinenage: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps his Department has taken to ensure that parents who are home educating their children are actually delivering a suitable education for their children.

Nick Gibb: It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

Home Education: Standards

Caroline Dinenage: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps his Department has taken to ensure that children who are being educated at home are receiving an education suitable to their age, ability and aptitude, as required by section 7 of the Education Act 1996; and what criteria are used to define a suitable education.

Nick Gibb: It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before prorogation.

Jobcentres: Training

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what evidence on the effectiveness of provision of learning within Jobcentre Plus centres he took account of before deciding to end inspections of such provision.

Chris Grayling: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions.
	The decision to end external inspection was based on reducing onerous and unnecessary interference in the business of organisations contracted to deliver DWP employment programmes, use of existing internal assurance processes and financial savings (£4.2 million per annum). Evidence of the effectiveness of learning through contracted employment provision offered by Jobcentre Plus did not form part of the criteria.

Legal Costs

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much his Department spent on fees for legal work in (a) 2010-11 and (b) 2011-12; and if he will make a statement.

Tim Loughton: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member before Prorogation.

Literacy: Standards

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether it is still national guidance that teachers should correct no more than three spelling mistakes in a piece of work in order not to harm a child's self-esteem.

Nick Gibb: It has not been possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

Ministers’ Private Offices

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many (a) desktop and (b) laptop computers are available for use by him and his staff in his Private Office.

Tim Loughton: It has not been possible to reply to the hon. Member before Prorogation.

Pupils: Disadvantaged

Stephen Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether the service premium is no longer being withdrawn from those pupils who have a parent who has died in service.

Nick Gibb: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member before Prorogation.

Pupils: Disadvantaged

Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Education which schools in Plymouth Unitary Authority have received funding from the pupil premium; and how many pupils in each such school have attracted payment of the pupil premium.

Sarah Teather: The pupil premium was introduced in April 2011 and allocations have so far been made for the 2011-12 financial year only. For 2011-12 the pupil premium funding is £488 per pupil in respect of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals (FSM), and for children in care who have been continuously looked-after for at least six months and £200 per pupil for those whose parents are serving in the armed forces.
	In 2011-12 the total pupil premium allocation for schools in Plymouth local authority was £3,633,000, in respect of 8,760 eligible pupils. This includes 6,272 pupils eligible for the deprivation premium, 256 eligible for the looked-after premium and 2,236 eligible for the service premium.
	The allocation for each school in Plymouth for 2011-12 is shown in the following table. It is not possible to present at school level eligible looked-after children, service children and FSM pupils recorded on the Alternative Provision census. This is because of the way we collect data for these pupils and for data protection reasons.
	
		
			 State-funded primary, secondary and special schools, and pupil referral units (1, 2, 3, 4) : Number of pupils eligible for the pupil premium in 2011/12 (8, 9)  Plymouth 
			     Deprivation pupil premium (6) 
			 URN LA Estab School name Number on roll (5) Number of pupils eligible for the deprivation pupil premium Allocation for the deprivation pupil premium 2011/12 (7)  (£) 
			 113058 1105 Plymouth Tuition Service: Young Parent’s Centre * * * 
			 136155 1106 A.C.E - Alternative Complimentary Education * * * 
			 113269 2627 Weston Mill Community Primary School 283 107 52,216 
			 113270 2630 Ford Primary School 172 91 44,408 
			 113273 2634 High Street Primary School 157 76 37,088 
			 113274 2636 Hyde Park Junior School 358 22 10,736 
			 113275 2637 Hyde Park Infants' School 270 17 8,296 
			 113276 2638 College Road Primary School 187 42 20,496 
			 113277 2639 Knowle Primary School 295 128 62,464 
			 113278 2640 Laira Green Primary School 251 85 41,480 
			 113281 2643 Mount Street Primary School 176 60 29,280 
			 113282 2646 Pilgrim Primary School 163 81 39,528 
			 113287 2657 Stoke Damerel Primary School 304 48 23,424 
			 113288 2659 Stuart Road Primary School 195 49 23,912 
			 113289 2660 Victoria Road Primary School 233 111 54,168 
			 113292 2665 Drake Primary School 201 53 25,864 
			 113295 2668 Plaistow Hill Infant and Nursery School 181 22 10,736 
			 113297 2670 Pennycross Primary School 223 71 34,648 
			 113298 2671 Lipson Vale Primary School 364 95 46,360 
		
	
	
		
			 113299 2672 Woodfield Primary School 156 59 28,792 
			 113300 2674 Mount Wise Community Primary School 148 78 38,064 
			 113301 2677 Manadon Vale Primary School 411 29 14,152 
			 113302 2678 Austin Farm Primary School 257 52 25,376 
			 113305 2681 Widey Court Primary School 596 72 35,136 
			 113306 2682 Marlborough Primary School 151 79 38,552 
			 113307 2683 Morice Town Primary School 195 85 41,480 
			 113312 2688 Dunstone Community Primary School 171 21 10,248 
			 113313 2691 Hooe Primary School 228 19 9,272 
			 136380 2693 Oreston Community Primary School 315 12 5,856 
			 113315 2694 Boringdon Primary School 428 22 10,736 
			 113316 2695 Plympton St Maurice Primary School 161 28 13,664 
			 113317 2696 Pomphlett Primary School 206 22 10,736 
			 113320 2699 Old Priory Junior School 232 19 9,272 
			 113322 2701 Elburton Primary School 402 20 9,760 
			 113323 2702 Widewell Primary School 200 22 10,736 
			 113324 2703 Eggbuckland Vale Primary School 401 44 21,472 
			 113326 2705 Glen Park Primary School 328 26 12,688 
			 113327 2706 Estover Primary School 146 43 20,984 
			 113328 2707 Yealmpstone Farm Primary School 210 24 11,712 
			 113329 2708 Thornbury Primary School 251 37 18,056 
			 113344 2724 Prince Rock Primary School 170.3 78.8 38,454 
			 113345 2725 Goosewell Primary School 567 47 22,936 
			 132215 2729 Whitleigh Community Primary School 317 110 53,680 
			 133602 2730 Leigham Primary School 370 63 30,744 
			 113416 3159 Compton CofE Primary School 373 13 6,344 
			 113417 3160 St Andrew's CofE VA Primary School 186 47 22,936 
			 113418 3161 Mary Dean's CofE Primary School 331 42 20,496 
			 113419 3162 St Edward's CofE Primary School 207 18 8,784 
			 113483 3757 St Budeaux Foundation CofE (Aided) Junior School 191 40 19,520 
			 113484 3758 St George's CofE Primary School 91 29 14,152 
			 113485 3759 St Peter's CofE Primary School 120 56 27,328 
			 113486 3760 Plympton St Mary's CofE Infant School 178 14 6,832 
			 113487 3761 Holy Cross Catholic Primary School 222 16 7,808 
			 113488 3762 Keyham Barton Catholic Primary School 201 52 25,376 
			 113489 3763 The Cathedral School of St Mary 107 33 16,104 
			 113490 3764 St Paul's Roman Catholic Primary School 215 28 13,664 
			 113491 3765 St Joseph's Catholic Primary School 116 28 13,664 
			 113492 3766 St Peter's RC Primary School 172 32 15,616 
			 134802 3767 Ernesettle Community School 278 108 52,704 
			 134803 3768 Montpelier Primary School 628 67 32,696 
			 135146 3769 Oakwood Primary School 305 50 24,400 
			 135145 3770 Beechwood Primary School 326 98 47,824 
			 135144 3771 Chaddlewood Primary School 378 34 16,592 
			 135348 3772 Riverside Community Primary School 389 191 93,208 
			 135349 3773 Woodford Primary School 419 31 15,128 
			 135350 3774 Salisbury Road Primary School 373 95 46,360 
			 135351 3775 Shakespeare Primary School 399 129 62,952 
			 135852 3776 Mayflower Community School 395 207 101,016 
			 135853 3777 High View School 262 120 58,560 
			 113531 4152 Devonport High School for Girls 602 23 11,224 
			 113532 4155 Plymouth High School for Girls 599 25 12,200 
			 113533 4172 Sir John Hunt Community Sports College 683 161 78,568 
			 113535 4178 Ridgeway School 903 118 57,584 
			 113536 4179 Hele's School 1045 60 29,280 
			 113537 4180 Plymstock School 1286 83 40,504 
			 113538 4181 Coombe Dean School 893 109 53,192 
		
	
	
		
			 113542 4185 Eggbuckland Community College 1155 113 55,144 
			 113543 4186 Tor Bridge High 895 168 81,984 
			 113544 4187 Lipson Community College 1076 287 140,056 
			 113547 4190 Stoke Damerel Community College 1176.5 380 185,440 
			 113552 4605 Notre Dame RC School 688 69 33,672 
			 113558 5403 St Boniface's RC College 681 54 26,352 
			 113530 5406 Devonport High School for Boys 865 15 7,320 
			 136142 6905 The All Saints Church of England Academy 783.5 262 127,856 
			 136166 6906 Marine Academy Plymouth 830 266 129,808 
			 113644 7062 Woodlands School * * * 
			 113645 7063 Downham Special School * * * 
			 113647 7065 Courtlands School * * * 
			 113648 7066 Brook Green Centre for Learning * * * 
			 113649 7067 Mount Tamar School * * * 
			 113650 7068 Longcause Community Special School * * * 
			 113651 7069 Mill Ford School * * * 
			 x = less than 5 pupils or a percentage based on less than 5 pupils or an allocation amount based on less than 5 pupils. * = Allocations for these schools are not included as they are either a maintained special school or PRU. The premium for these establishments is held with the local authority (please see the conditions of grant) 1. Includes middle schools as deemed. 2. Includes primary academies. 3. Includes city technology colleges and secondary academies. 4. Includes maintained special schools, excludes general hospital schools and non-maintained special schools. 5. Full-time equivalent (FTE) pupils in year groups R-11 (where National Curriculum year groups do not apply pupils aged 4 to 15). For all those aged 5 and over includes sole or dual main registrations only. In Pupil Referral Units, FTE pupils aged 4 (all registration types) and headcount of pupils aged 5 to 15 (sole or dual main registrations as well as pupils who are registered with other providers and further education colleges). 6. Full-time equivalent (FTE) number of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals in year groups R-11, (where National Curriculum year groups do not apply pupils aged 4 to 15). For all those aged 5 and over includes sole or dual main registrations only. In Pupil Referral Units, FTE pupils aged 4 (all registration types) and headcount of pupils aged 5-15 (sole or dual main registrations as well as pupils who are registered with other providers and further education colleges) known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals. 7. Each FSM eligible pupil will attract £488 through the pupil premium. For pupils in maintained primary and secondary schools funding will be passed to schools via the Local Authorities. Academies will receive funding from the YPLA. For pupils in maintained special schools and PRU's funding will be allocated to local authorities to decide whether to pass on funding to the education setting or to hold back funding to manage centrally for the benefit of those pupils it has responsibility for. 8. The number of eligible Looked After Children and FSM pupils recorded on the Alternative Provision census are not included in school level tables (although are eligible for the pupil premium) as they are taken from Local Authority returns. 9. The number of service children are not provided at school level due to data protection issues.

Pupils: Disadvantaged

Craig Whittaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will bring forward proposals to make all adopted children eligible for the pupil premium.

Sarah Teather: It has not been possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Schools: Admissions

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what exceptions from the Schools Admissions Code he has granted to schools since his appointment.

Nick Gibb: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member before Prorogation.

Schools: Bullying

Karen Lumley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps his Department is taking to reduce absences from school due to bullying.

Nick Gibb: It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

Schools: Expenditure

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will estimate the expenditure per pupil by his Department on (a) secondary academies, (b) primary academies and (c) free schools in the last two financial years; and if he will estimate the expenditure per pupil by his Department and local authorities on (i) grammar schools and (ii) all other maintained secondary schools and maintained primary schools in the last two financial years.

Sarah Teather: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member before Prorogation.

Sixth Form Colleges: Redundancy

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many teaching jobs were (a) lost in sixth form colleges between January 2010 and January 2011 and (b) have been lost since May 2010.

Nick Gibb: The Department for Education does not hold staffing data for sixth-form colleges. We are therefore unable to provide the information requested.

Special Educational Needs (Direct Payments) (Pilot Scheme) Order 2012

Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what progress has been made on the implementation of the Special Educational Needs (Direct Payments) (Pilot Scheme) Order 2012; and if he will make a statement.

Sarah Teather: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Special Educational Needs (Direct Payments) (Pilot Scheme) Order 2012

Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education when he expects personal budgets for special educational provision to be offered to parents in each of the local authorities listed in Schedule 2 of the Special Educational Needs (Direct Payments) (Pilot Scheme) Order 2012.

Sarah Teather: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Stakeholder Advocacy Group

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education for what reason his Department's communications department established the Stakeholder Advocacy Group; and on what date the Group started work.

Tim Loughton: The Department's Communications Group established the Stakeholder and Advocacy team to improve relationships and build understanding of the Department's policies with key stakeholders. The team started work on 11 April 2011.

Stakeholder Advocacy Group

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education why his Department's Stakeholder Advocacy Group was shut down; and on what date it ceased work.

Tim Loughton: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member before Prorogation.

Stakeholder Advocacy Group

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much his Department spent on its Stakeholder Advocacy Group; and how much it spent on re-organising its communications department at the inception and subsequent abolition of that Group.

Tim Loughton: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member before Prorogation.

Stakeholder Advocacy Group: Codes of Practice

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps he took to ensure that the Stakeholder Advocacy Group complied with the Civil Service Code of Conduct.

Nick Gibb: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member before Prorogation.

Teachers: Complaints

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many complaints have been received by his Department in respect of supply teacher agencies.

Nick Gibb: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Teachers: Pay

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what discussions he has had with the School Teacher's Pay Review Body on the introduction of pay flexibilities permitting headteachers to reduce teachers' pay.

Nick Gibb: The Secretary of State for Education, my right hon. Friend the Member for Surrey Heath (Michael Gove), has met the Chair of the School Teachers' Review Body (STRB) to discuss the current pay remit, which asks the STRB to make recommendations on the introduction of greater freedoms and flexibilities into teachers' pay. There was no discussion about reducing teachers' pay.

Teachers: Veterans

Stephen Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many former members of the Armed Forces have entered the teaching profession since November 2010.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 23 April 2012
	The Department for Education does not hold details of the former careers of individuals entering the teaching profession. We cannot, therefore, provide information on how many members of the armed forces have entered the teaching profession since November 2010.
	We have worked closely with the Ministry of Defence and the Teaching Agency on ways to bring more service leavers into the teaching profession. Since March 2011, 195 service leavers have applied for initial teacher training courses, which is significantly higher than the 40 to 50 we would normally expect to receive. Further to this, we allocated 50 additional places on the Graduate Teacher programme, to commence from September 2012, which will be available exclusively to service leavers.
	We are also in the process of developing a high quality, employment based training programme, which will form a key part of troops to teachers. This will aim to recruit the most talented service leavers and place them where they can really make a difference in the schools that most need them. We will announce further details later this year.

Written Questions: Government Responses

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education when he plans to answer questions (a) 90450 and (b) 90422 on private e-mail accounts and (c) 90217, on departmental technology, tabled on 12 January 2012 for answer on 17 January 2012; and when he plans to answer questions (i) 90467 and (ii) 90468 on private e-mail accounts, tabled on 13 January 2012 for answer on 18 January 2012.

Tim Loughton: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member before Prorogation.

Written Questions: Government Responses

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education when he plans to answer question (a) 94256, tabled on 3 February 2012 and (b) 97217, tabled on 23 February 2012.

Tim Loughton: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member before Prorogation.

DEFENCE

Afghanistan

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with representatives of NATO on the protection and safety of NATO non-combat personnel in Afghanistan after 2014.

Gerald Howarth: Ministers and officials within the Ministry of Defence, have regular discussions with NATO on a range of issues including both the UK's and NATO's post 2014 role in Afghanistan.
	By the end of 2014, UK forces will not be serving in Afghanistan in a combat role as a result of which the number of British troops will be substantially reduced from their current force levels. However, we are clear that our long-term commitment to Afghanistan will last beyond the end of our combat role. As part of our enduring legacy, UK troops will continue to support the development of the Afghan National Security Forces by providing training at the new Afghan National Army Officer Academy.
	The safety and wellbeing of our forces is at the forefront of our military strategy. We will continue to work with other ISAF nations and the Afghan Government to ensure that necessary force protection measures are in place for our military personnel still serving in Afghanistan after 2014.

Afghanistan

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the effect of the Australian decision to withdraw troops from Afghanistan earlier than planned on the UK's stated timetable for withdrawal.

Philip Hammond: The Australian Prime Minister's comments do not represent a shift in Australian or ISAF policy. Her suggestion that Australia will be able to draw down some of its forces once the Afghans have assumed full security responsibility in Uruzgan is in line with the strategy agreed by international partners at the Lisbon Summit in 2010.
	As the transition process continues, international forces are gradually handing over security responsibility to the Afghans. The UK and other ISAF nations will realise force dividends in the run-up to the transition process to be complete at the end of 2014. These will be made in a co-ordinated and cohesive manner and will be aligned with the strategy agreed at the NATO Lisbon Summit. In accordance with this principle, I announced to the House on 26 April 2012, Official Report, columns 1117-1119, the detail on how we will draw down our force levels by 500 this year. All ISAF partners, including Australia, remain committed to helping the Afghans provide their national security until the Afghans take over full security responsibility across the country by the end of 2014.

Aircraft Carriers

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what contracts have been awarded by his Department relating exclusively to the conversion of the aircraft carrier to a CATOBAR configuration since May 2010; and what the value was of each contract;
	(2)  what items have been ordered by his Department relating exclusively to the conversion of the aircraft carrier to a CATOBAR configuration since May 2010; and what the value was of each item;
	(3)  how much his Department has spent on feasibility studies on conversion of the aircraft carrier to a CATOBAR configuration since May 2010;
	(4)  how much his Department has spent on preparation for the installation of catapult and arrestor gear to (a) the Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carrier and (b) the Prince of Wales aircraft carrier since May 2010.

Peter Luff: It has not proved possible to respond to the right hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Aircraft Carriers

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with which nations carrier strike capability with a STOVL configuration is interoperable.

Peter Luff: It has not proved possible to respond to the right hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Armed Forces: Disclosure of Information

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  whether his Department has issued new guidance on (a) contact between members of the armed forces and parliamentarians and (b) sanctions for any individual found guilty of leaking information;
	(2)  what his Department's policy is on sanctions individuals found guilty of leaking information would face.

Philip Hammond: In relation to contact between members of the armed forces and parliamentarians, I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 20 March 2012, Official Report, columns 1050-51W. In relation to the unauthorised disclosure of information, the Ministry of Defence has recently issued guidance reminding staff of their obligations to protect classified and other sensitive information. A variety of sanctions exists for individuals who disclose such information without authorisation, depending on the severity of the offence. These range from internal disciplinary or administrative action, to dismissal and possible criminal prosecution.

Armed Forces: Olympic Games 2012

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what role the E-3D Sentry will have in monitoring the airspace around London during the Olympics.

Nick Harvey: The E-3D Sentry will contribute to the overall radar coverage of the prohibited and restricted airspace during specific periods of the Olympic games as part of a layered approach to enhance radar coverage when required.

Armed Forces: Pay

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the level of savings which will accrue from reductions in (a) civilian and (b) armed forces' allowances in each year of the Comprehensive Spending Review period; and what estimate he has made of total expenditure on (i) civilian and (ii) armed forces allowances in each of those years.

Andrew Robathan: holding answer 22 February 2012
	As stated in the Strategic Defence and Security Review, our aim remains to deliver a reduction of £300 million a year by 2015.

Armed Forces: Pensions

John Glen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Pension Credit members of the Armed Forces Pension Scheme have been affected by his Department's miscalculation of the level of pension to which they are entitled; and if he will estimate the cost to the public purse of maintaining the payments to such members at the current level.

Andrew Robathan: There are 128 Pension Credit Members (PCMs) who have been paid a full pension from the effective award date when in fact they should either have been paid on an actuarially reduced basis, or not paid until age 60 or 65. There are also 427 PCMs whose pensions are deferred, but they have been incorrectly notified they can claim their full pension at age 55 without actuarial reduction.
	The pensions currently in payment are more than the PCMs are entitled to and legally, there is no provision to continue to pay the pensions at the incorrect rates. The reduction to these pensions will be implemented from 1 June 2012. The PCMs with deferred pensions are able to claim their pension at any time between age 55 and age 65; however, these must be paid on an actuarially reduced basis.
	Actuarial reduction is a reduction made to a member's final pension and lump sum (where applicable) to take account of the fact that pension/lump sum is being drawn earlier than the scheme pension age. The amount of the reduction applied depends on the age the member is when the pension becomes payable.

Armed Forces: Young People

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  which child protection safeguarding measures which are in place for people aged under 18 in the UK armed forces are implemented in training and capability building provided by the UK to forces in each overseas country;
	(2)  what measures his Department has put in place to ensure UK military assistance to foreign armed forces is not used to train under 18s to be deployed to active service;
	(3)  what mechanism his Department has put in place to monitor whether foreign armed forces receiving military assistance from the UK deploy child soldiers.

Gerald Howarth: When undertaking counter terrorism training, capacity building overseas, or providing military assistance using Conflict Pool funding, the Overseas Security and Justice Assistance Human Rights Guidance is applied. This is to be extended to all overseas military assistance as soon as is practical.
	The guidance includes the requirement carefully to consider and mitigate a range of human rights issues as part of the delivery of training. These include potential violations of the rights of the child and ensuring that soldiers under the age of 18 take no direct part in hostilities. The guidance further includes requirements to conduct an assessment of the human rights situation prior to providing assistance; to monitor this throughout the course of it, and for consideration to be given as to whether applicable human rights training should be included as part of it.

Asylum

Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he plans to provide the information requested by the Council of Europe in connection with its inquiry into the Left-To-Die Boat; and when this information will be provided.

Gerald Howarth: The Minister for the Armed Forces, my hon. Friend the Member for North Devon (Nick Harvey), intends to write soon to the Council of Europe's Committee on Migration, Refugees and Population about its investigation into the loss of lives at sea off Libya.

Departmental Allowances

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  how much his Department expects to spend on (a) motor mileage allowance, (b) commitment bonus, (c) specialist pay reserve banding, (d) recruitment and retention allowance (London), (e) disturbance allowance, (f) daily subsistence (overseas), (g) get you home (early years), (h) get you home (seagoers), (i) food and incidentals allowance, (j) incidental expenses allowance, (k) local overseas allowance and (l) living out supplemental rates of local overseas allowance in the next 12 months; and how many people he expects to receive each such allowance;
	(2)  how much his Department spent on (a) motor mileage allowance, (b) commitment bonus, (c) specialist pay reserve banding, (d) recruitment and retention allowance (London), (e) disturbance allowance, (f) daily subsistence (overseas), (g) get you home (early years), (h) get you home (seagoers), (i) food and incidentals allowance, (j) incidental expenses allowance, (k) local overseas allowance and (l) living out supplemental rates of local overseas allowance in each financial year between 2005-06 and 2010-11; and how many people received each such allowance.

Andrew Robathan: holding answer 30 November 2011
	The information held on Ministry of Defence expenditure categories listed is set out in the following table; the commitment bonus and specialist pay reserve banding are elements of pay rather than allowances.
	
		
			 The table covers 2007-08 to 2010-11, as well as provisional outturn for 2011-12: 
			 £ million 
			  2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 
			 Motor mileage allowance(1) — — 27.7 26.8 19.9 
			 Commitment bonus(2) 43.5 40.3 64.2 74.8 76.0 
			 Specialist pay reserve banding(2) — — 13.3 14.2 13.7 
			 Recruitment and retention allowance (London)(1) 6.1 6.0 6.0 6.3 6.2 
			 Disturbance allowance(1) — — 28.9 28.5 22.8 
			 Get you home (Early years)(1) — — 1.3 0.6 1.3 
			 Get you home (Seagoers)(1) — — 2.0 0.7 0.5 
			 Food and incidentals allowance(1) 25.8 28.3 33.6 31.0 18.8 
			 Incidental expenses allowance(1) 17.2 22.7 21.8 12.4 1.3 
			 Local overseas allowance(1) — — 225.0 198.2 152.6 
			 Living out supplement local overseas allowance(1) 3.8 4.9 5.0 5.9 3.2 
			 |(1 )Allowance (2 )Pay element 
		
	
	Information on daily subsistence (Overseas) is not discretely identified as the allowance has been merged with UK subsistence. Information on the number of recipients could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Procurement

Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many and what proportion of contracts awarded through the framework agreement technical support process were not awarded after a competitive tendering process in the last 12 months for which figures are available; and what the value was of each such contract.

Peter Luff: holding answer 23 November 2012
	The Defence internal audit on the framework agreement for technical support reviewed the period from April 2009—March 2011. The audit reported that, based on the data available for those tasks placed since 1 July 2010, 25% were awarded following a competitive tendering process.
	In response to this, project teams have been challenged to increase the use of competition, with rates now running at 43% in the period 1 August 2011 to 31 March 2012. Work continues to improve this further.

Depleted Uranium

Julian Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether his Department has produced a scientifically robust characterisation of the levels of trans-uranic material contaminants, such as plutonium, which are present across all batches of the UK's in-service CHARM3 ammunition manufactured from depleted uranium sourced from the US.

Gerald Howarth: holding answer 30 April 2012
	Work by the Ministry of Defence (MOD) on depleted uranium(DU) in UK munitions is described in a report entitled “MOD DU Research programme; Radiochemical analysis task summary customer report, Dstl/CR23587 V 1.0” dated 20 May 2007. The report concludes that the presence of such nuclides is of no significance as their combined radiation dose adds less than 1.0% to the dose from the DU itself. This research was overseen by an Independent Review Board and is supported by work by the US Department of Defense and the Royal Society.
	A copy of the report has been placed in the Library of the House.

Falkland Islands

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 19 April 2012, Official Report, column 527W, on the Falkland Islands, how his Department defines (a) campaign medal and (b) service medal; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Robathan: Discrete UK operations with little or no opportunity for troops to routinely return to the UK may be recognised by a specific campaign medal. Longer deployments which require successive troop rotation to be sustained would more usually be recognised by the Operational Service Medal and repeat service by the Accumulated Campaign Service Medal. The decision on whether to recommend an award and the appropriate type of award, however, is ultimately one for the military commanders based on their assessment of the nature of the military task and the enduring level of ‘risk and rigour’.

Joint Strike Fighter Aircraft

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when Ministers in his Department were made aware that the F35C could not land on the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier.

Peter Luff: It has not proved possible to respond to the right hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Legal Costs

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department spent on fees for legal work in (a) 2010-11 and (b) 2011-12; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Robathan: External fees for legal work in England and Wales arranged through the Treasury Solicitor's Department amounted to:
	
		
			  £ 
			 FY 2010-11 6,481,703 
			 FY 2011-12 5,050,300 
		
	
	The Ministry also instructs a panel of external law firms to provide commercial legal services in support of private finance initiatives and major Defence projects. In FY 2010-11, expenditure in this area amounted to £7,220,636. Expenditure on the panel for 2011-12 is currently being collated.
	In Scotland, where the Ministry is represented by a firm of solicitor-agents, the amounts were:
	
		
			  £ 
			 FY 2010-11 1,034,126 
			 FY 2011-12 1,348,718 
		
	
	These amounts represent the most significant areas of departmental legal expenditure. Other smaller pieces of legal work are sometimes commissioned locally by some sections of the Department, but figures for these amounts are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Lost Property

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what property has been lost or stolen from his Department in the last 12 months; and what the estimated cost was of replacement of such property.

Andrew Robathan: The information requested will be placed in the Library of the House.

Manpower

Stephen Barclay: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people are employed in interim posts by the Department, or a non-ministerial department or arm's length body controlled by his Department through (a) Penna Consulting, (b) Reed Personnel Services and (c) Capita Resourcing Ltd (trading as Veredus); how many such people have been in post for over a year; and how many are full-time.

Andrew Robathan: holding answer 27 March 2012
	The number of people employed by the Ministry of Defence in interim posts is as follows:
	
		
			 Contractor: Capita Resourcing Ltd 
			  Number 
			 Total number of interim staff 48 
			 Number of full-time interim staff 46 
			 Number of interim staff employed over 12 months 9 
		
	
	The term 'interim post' is considered to refer to professional higher management grades with specific skill sets, or with specific qualifications, who are recruited to fill a temporary post that cannot otherwise be filled internally. The Department recruits such personnel through a contract let with Capita Resourcing Ltd. We do not hold contracts to recruit professional higher management grades to interim posts with either Penna Consulting or Reed Personnel Services.

Meetings

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many times (a) Mark Bamford, (b) Jean Parmer, (c) Mary Cross, (d) Edwin Healey, (e) Nicholas Jenkins, (f) Alexander Knaster, (g) David Rowland, (h) Michael Farmer, (i) Jonathan Wood, (j) May Makhzoumi, (l) Paul Beecroft, (m) Chris Rokos, (n) Sir Anthony Bamford, (o) Michael Hintze, (p) Paul Ruddock, (q) Michael Freeman, (r) Clara Freeman and (s) Michael Spencer has been inside his Department's buildings since May 2010.

Philip Hammond: This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Meetings

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many times (a) he, (b) Ministers in his Department, (c) officials and (d) special advisers have met (i) Mark Bamford, (ii) Jean Parmer, (iii) Mary Cross, (iv) Edwin Healey, (v) Nicholas Jenkins, (vi) Alexander Knaster, (vii) David Rowland, (viii) Michael Farmer, (ix) Jonathan Wood, (x) May Makhzoumi, (xi) Paul Beecroft, (xii) Chris Rokos, (xiii) Sir Anthony Bamford, (xiv) Michael Hintze, (xv) Paul Ruddock, (xvi) Michael Freeman, (xvii) Clara Freeman and (xviii) Michael Spencer; what the purpose was of each such meeting; and when and where each such meeting took place.

Philip Hammond: We have no records of any official departmental meetings between Ministers, special advisers and the named individuals. Ministers will have met some of these individuals in their personal capacities at social and party political gatherings, but the Department does not hold records of such meetings.
	We are not aware of any officials meeting any of the named individuals. This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Military Aid: Fuels

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many army personnel have been trained to drive fuel tankers in preparation for a strike by tanker drivers.

Nick Harvey: It has not proved possible to respond to the right hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Military Aid: Fuels

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  how much his Department has spent on preparing army personnel for a strike by fuel tanker drivers; and how much has been spent training army personnel to drive fuel tankers;
	(2)  how much it costs his Department to train an individual to drive a fuel tanker in preparation for a strike by fuel tanker drivers.

Gerald Howarth: Under the Military Assistance to the Civil Authorities (MACA) arrangements, the Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has requested assistance from the Ministry of Defence (MOD) for contingency planning in the event of the disruption of fuel supplies within Great Britain as a result of potential industrial action by commercial fuel tanker drivers. Additional costs incurred by the MOD as a result of this activity will be reimbursed by DECC.
	I am at present unable to disclose figures regarding costs, as their disclosure might prejudice any future discussions between DECC and the commercial haulage companies regarding cost recovery to Her Majesty's Government.

Military Aircraft: Helicopters

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when his Department last reviewed the contracts for maintenance of transmission, rotor and rotorhead components for Westland Sea King and Agusta Westland Lynx AH9 helicopters with (a) Agusta Westland, (b) its parent company and (c) any associated companies.

Peter Luff: Maintenance of the transmission, rotor and rotorhead components for Sea King and Lynx aircraft is delivered by AgustaWestland (AW) through the Sea King Integrated Operational Support (SKIOS) contract and Lynx In-Service Support Agreement (LISSA). These were last reviewed prior to commitments made in 2007 and 2009 respectively but both are currently being reviewed to agree prices for the next periods of these contracts.
	These reviews are between the Ministry of Defence and AgustaWestland as the prime contractor; they have not been formally reviewed with either AgustaWestland's parent company (Finmeccanica) or any associated companies.

Military Alliances

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps his Department is taking to ensure that foreign armed forces with which it co-operates observe international human rights conventions.

Gerald Howarth: holding answer 30 April 2012
	There are a number of steps the Ministry of Defence (MOD) takes to ensure that foreign armed forces with whom it co-operates observe international human rights conventions.
	Prior to deployment, UK military personnel are trained in how to respond in the event that troops they are mentoring or partnering act in a manner which appears to them to be inconsistent with applicable international human rights obligations. This includes how to report up the chain of command incidents of mistreatment by UK forces, our allies, or other nations' forces, to allow appropriate action to be taken. UK military personnel are trained not to participate in or facilitate acts we believe would contravene applicable international human rights conventions.
	UK military personnel are also required to act in accordance with relevant policy and guidance, such as relevant Standing Operating Instructions.
	Where the MOD enters into agreements with other nations, we may include a requirement that applicable international human rights conventions be observed, or seek assurances to that effect.
	When undertaking counter terrorism training and capacity building overseas or providing military assistance using Conflict Pool funding, the Overseas Security and Justice Assistance Human Rights Guidance is applied. This is to be extended to all overseas military assistance as soon as is practical. The guidance includes the requirement carefully to consider and mitigate a range of human rights issues as part of the delivery of training. This includes considering the provision of applicable human rights training and a system for reporting any human rights abuses.

Peter Cruddas

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many times Peter Cruddas has been inside Ministry of Defence buildings since May 2010.

Philip Hammond: It is not possible to confirm whether Mr Cruddas has been inside any Ministry of Defence buildings since May 2010 without incurring disproportionate costs as access control arrangements and records are managed locally by individual Defence establishments. However, on the basis of an initial check of the official electronic access control records for the Ministry of Defence Main Building in Whitehall there is no indication that Mr Cruddas has visited this establishment since May 2010.

Peter Cruddas

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many times (a) he, (b) Ministers in his Department, (c) his officials and (d) special advisers have met Peter Cruddas; what the purpose was of each such meeting; and when and where each such meeting took place.

Philip Hammond: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 23 April 2012, Official Report, column 713W to the hon. Member for Houghton and Sunderland South (Bridget Phillipson).

Terrorism: Chemical and Biological Warfare

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library a copy of the agreement between the Government and NATO regarding Ministry of Defence sites as locations to receive victims in the event of a chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear attack.

Andrew Robathan: I will write to the hon. Member.
	Substantive answer from Gerald Howarth to Angus Robertson:
	In his answer to your Parliamentary Question dated 24 November 2011 (Official Report, column 549W) about Ministry of Defence sites used as locations to receive victims in the event of a chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear attack, Andrew Robathan, the Minister for Defence Personnel Welfare and Veterans, undertook to write to you. I very much regret that owing to an administrative error it has not been possible to respond before prorogation, but we will write to you as soon as the information is available.

Theft

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what thefts there were from his Department's establishments in (a) January, (b) February and (c) March 2012; what the value was of the items taken; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Robathan: The information requested is provided in the following tables:
	
		
			 January 2012 
			 Item reported as stolen Estimated value (£) 
			 Tool Boxes (1)— 
			 Vehicle Batteries 584.00 
			 Television 399.00 
			 Weights 115.00 
			 Tumble Dryer 232.00 
			 Vehicle Batteries 9,979.00 
			 Watches 168.00 
			 (1) No records held. 
		
	
	
		
			 February 2012 
			 Item reported as stolen Estimated value (£) 
			 Projector 100.00 
			 Core Anglais and Oboe 5,911.00 
			 Folding Camp Beds 127.00 
			 Bike 293.00 
			 Fuel 625.00 
			 Helmet 1,350.00 
		
	
	
		
			 March 2012 
			 Item reported as stolen Alleged value (£) 
			 Synthetic Tiger Skin 1,125.00 
			 Mount, pod rack mount and I-Pod 285,00 
			 Head Mounted Night Vision Sight 3,999.00 
			 ACOG 1,347.00 
			 Television 278.00 
			 Toolboxes 1,314.00 
			 Multimeter 198.00 
			 Night Vision Goggles 4,365,00 
			 Drill, Funnel, Axe And Stands 276.00 
			 Head Mounted Night Vision System 3,999.00 
			 Shirt And Trouser 27.00 
			 Projectors 2,618.00 
			 Room Keys 28.00 
			 Fire Extinguisher 32.00 
			 I-Pod 89.00 
		
	
	It should be noted that in many cases of suspected theft the property is later recovered, or found not to have been stolen, and some value estimates turn out to be significantly inaccurate. The figures in the tables do not include recovery data.
	In the case of key assets however, Ministry of Defence sites have a wide range of additional security measures to ensure their safety. The detection rate for key assets specifically, where a police investigation is the norm, is high.
	The military environment and supply chain represents a population of hundreds of thousands of people. Reported theft represents only about 0.0015% of overall Defence assets.

Theft

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the written answer of 16 April 2012, Official Report, column 77W, on theft, what level of evidence is required to apply internal disciplinary action in cases of suspected theft; who conducts investigations to identify perpetrators; who conducts disciplinary hearings in each case; whether the suspected perpetrator has access to (a) an advocate, (b) legal advice and (c) appeal; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Robathan: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Veterans: Suicide

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 13 March 2012, Official Report, column 542W, on veterans: suicide, during what time period data on mental disorders was collected; and how long after service personnel had left the armed forces the data was collected.

Andrew Robathan: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

CABINET OFFICE

Behavioural Sciences Unit

Rachel Reeves: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how much his Department has spent on establishing the Behavioural Sciences Unit; and how much his Department has budgeted for the future costs of the Unit.

Francis Maude: holding answer 30 April 2012
	The Behavioural Insights Team in my Department was established in July 2010 to find innovative ways of encouraging, enabling and supporting people to make better choices for themselves. Annual costs for running the existing team are around £520,000 per year.
	The team is working with a number of Departments to realise significant savings, including with the Department of Health on promoting healthier food, with the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills on consumer empowerment and SME access to finance, with HMRC and the Ministry of Justice on reducing fraud and debt, and with the Department for Energy and Climate Change on improving energy efficiency. To give just one example of what has been achieved by the team, by slightly changing the wording in letters sent out by HMRC to self-assessment taxpayers who owed money, the team has increased payment rates from 68% to 83%, leading to savings of £30 million a year in administrative and court costs.

Civil Servants: Pay

Tom Harris: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the process was for the awarding of bonuses to civil servants in 2011-12; how many civil servants received bonuses in 2011-12; what the monetary value was of such bonuses; and what the annual salaries were of the recipients.

Francis Maude: Non-consolidated performance-related payments (NCPRP) are one-off, non-pensionable, awards that are primarily used to reward individuals for high performance against annual business objectives. Since May 2010, NCPRP for senior civil servants has been cut back. This has been achieved by reducing the number of people who receive awards from 65% to 25% of senior civil servants, so that only those who have given exceptional performance over the year are rewarded. This has delivered savings of around £15 million. Departments and agencies are responsible for determining which of their senior staff should receive such rewards against criteria set by the Cabinet Office. Non-senior staff are covered by delegated pay arrangements and the proportion of staff receiving such awards and the eligibility criteria for NCPRP is matter for each Department and agency.
	Further information on NCPRP paid in 2011-12, including the value and number of such awards, was published on departmental websites and linked to data.gov.uk in October 2011. The Cabinet Office does not hold information on the salaries of staff who received such payments.

Civil Servants: Pensions

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office with reference to recommendation 10 of the Hutton Report, whether he plans to remove abatement from Civil Service pensions; and if he will make a statement.

Francis Maude: holding answer 24 April 2012
	Recommendation 10 of the Independent Report on Public Service Pensions include a suggestion that abatement should be eliminated for those who return to work after starting to draw their pension. In line with this the proposed new Civil Service Pension scheme will not apply abatement, in respect of their service in the new scheme, to those staff who return to work after they have retired and started to draw their pension. The abatement rules in the current schemes will remain unchanged.

Civil Servants: Recruitment

Stephen Barclay: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many (a) permanent secretaries and (b) director generals in the Civil Service began their career as fast streamers; and how many were not fast streamers.

Francis Maude: holding answer 25 April 2012
	We collect centrally information on whether individuals have been on the Fast Stream programme at any point in their career.
	As at 31 March 2011 the civil service had:
	17 Permanent Secretaries who have been members of the Fast Stream at some point in their career and 23 Permanent Secretaries who have never been on the Fast Stream programme.
	50 Directors General who have been members of the Fast Stream at some point in their career and 107 Directors General who have never been on the Fast Stream programme.

Community Development

Michael Dugher: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many Big Society community organisers were trained in the (a) first and (b) second quarter of 2011-12.

Nick Hurd: By 2015 the Government is committed to training 500 Senior Community Organisers who will in turn recruit and then train a further 4,500 Voluntary Community Organisers.
	The contract to deliver the community Organisers Programme was signed with Locality in March 2011. Therefore during the first quarter of the 2011-12 financial year, April-June 2011, no Senior Community Organisers had yet been trained. By the end of the second quarter of 2011-12 financial year, July-September 2011, 47 Senior Community Organisers had been trained.

Government Departments: Billing

Michael Dugher: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what proportion of government contracts to small and medium-sized enterprises have been paid late since May 2010 using his Department's standard definition of lateness.

Francis Maude: This information is not held centrally. Nevertheless, to help business manage cash flow and to transform the culture of late payment, our policy in central Government is to pay undisputed invoices within five days and to pass 30 day payment terms down supply chains. Moreover, the Crown Representative team in the Cabinet Office is encouraging prime contractors to pay more quickly than the 30 days commitment on a voluntary basis; and we have tasked Departments to monitor prime contractors' performance against our commitment to pay sub contractors within 30 days.

Government Departments: Databases

Michael Dugher: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what timetable he has set for implementation of the G-Cloud.

Francis Maude: Key milestones for the G-Cloud programme are set out in the ICT Strategy (March 2011), Strategic Implementation Plan (October 2011) and Cloud Computing Strategy (October 2011) which are all published on the Cabinet Office website.

Government Departments: Databases

Michael Dugher: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what mechanisms the Government Application Store has put in place to provide small and medium-sized businesses with greater access to Government IT contracts.

Francis Maude: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Legal Costs

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how much his Department spent on fees for legal work in (a) 2010-11 and (b) 2011-12; and if he will make a statement.

Francis Maude: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Mutuals Taskforce

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will publish the dates, minutes and attendees at meetings of the Mutuals Taskforce since May 2010; and if he will make a statement.

Francis Maude: The Mutuals Taskforce is chaired by Professor Julian Le Grand. I am content for the Mutuals Taskforce to publish the dates, minutes and attendees of meetings and I understand that Professor Le Grand plans to do so in the run up to the publication of the Taskforce's report this summer.

National Lottery

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how much funding the Big Lottery Fund distributed in total for each purpose in (a) 2010-11 and (b) 2011-12; how much it expects to distribute in (i) 2012-13, (ii) 2013-14 and (iii) 2014-15; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Hurd: All funding by the Big Lottery Fund is connected with its statutory power to support health, environment, education and other charitable purposes; because many grants support more than one purpose it is not possible to provide a break down in the format requested. The Big Lottery Fund made the following payments to grant holders, including to those where awards were made in previous years.
	
		
			  Payments made (£ million) 
			 2010-11 512 
			 2011-12 (1)676 
			 (1) This figure is subject to external audit and may vary. 
		
	
	Big Lottery Fund’s projected awards are detailed on their website, and are that for 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2014-15 the Big Lottery Fund expects to make awards of around £770 million per year.

Public Sector: Manpower

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the ratio of male to female workers in each public sector occupation in the West Midlands is.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated April 2012
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking what the ratio of male to female workers in each public sector occupation in the West Midlands is. (106251)
	Public sector employment statistics for local areas can be calculated from the Annual Population Survey (APS). Individuals in the APS are classified to the public or private sector according to their responses to the survey.
	Table 1 as follows shows the percentage of male and female workers in the public sector in each Standard Occupational Classification 2010 ( SOC2010 ) Main Job Group for their main job in the West Midlands for the 12 month period, ending in September 2011, the latest available period.
	As with any sample survey, estimates from the APS are subject to a margin of uncertainty.
	National and local area estimates for many labour market statistics, including employment, unemployment and claimant count are available on the NOMIS website at:
	http://www.nomisweb.co.uk.
	
		
			 Table 1: Percentage of male and female workers in public sector occupations (1)  in the West Midlands—October 2010 to September 2011 
			 Percentage 
			  Male Female 
			 Professional occupations 31 69 
			 Associate professional and technical occupations 50 50 
			 Administrative and secretarial occupations 17 83 
			 Caring, leisure and other service occupations 16 84 
			 Elementary occupations 33 67 
			 Other(2) 30 70 
			 Unclassified 32 68 
			 (1) ( )SOC 2010 Major job group for main occupation. (2) Other includes managers, directors and senior officials; skilled trade occupations; sales and customer service occupations; and process plant and machine operatives. Source: Annual Population Survey

Public Sector: Pay

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office which public sector occupation in the West Midlands has the greatest level of earnings relative to the local average.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated April 2012
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking which public sector occupation in the West Midlands has the greatest level of earnings relative to the local average. (106253)
	Average levels of earnings are estimated from the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE), and are provided for all employees on adult rates of pay whose pay for the survey period was not affected by absence. The ASHE, carried out in April each year, is the most comprehensive source of earnings information in the United Kingdom.
	The following table shows the median gross weekly earnings for full-time employees in the West Midlands by broad occupational groups (Standard Occupational Classification 2010 sub-major group) for 2011. Public sector earnings are highest, as a percentage of the local average, in elementary administration and service occupations.
	
		
			 Median Gross Weekly Earnings (£)—for full-time employee jobs (1)  in the West Midlands by occupation for 2011 
			  All employees Public sector Absolute difference Percentage difference 
			 Elementary administration and service occupations 308.0 380.4 72.4 23.5 
			 Sales occupations 286.9 *338.8 51.9 18.1 
			 Skilled agricultural and related trades *319.3 *376.0 56.7 17.8 
			 Other managers and proprietors *565.5 **664.4 98.9 17.5 
			 Corporate managers and directors 684.2 *797.6 113.4 16.6 
			 Customer service occupations 360.2 **419.4 59.2 16.4 
			 Elementary trades and related occupations 335.8 *390.9 55.1 16.4 
			 Leisure, travel and related personal service occupations *313.3 *352.6 39.3 12.5 
			 Caring personal service occupations 318.8 341.2 22.4 7.0 
			 Transport and mobile machine drivers and operatives 424.8 **450.0 25.2 5.9 
			 Secretarial and related occupations 339.8 *352.7 12.9 3.8 
			 Administrative occupations 361.7 371.7 10.0 2.8 
			 Skilled construction and building trades 455.0 *464.8 9.8 2.2 
			 Health professionals 644.3 654.9 10.6 1.6 
			 Health and social care associate professionals 469.9 *477.4 7.5 1.6 
			 Protective service occupations 639.5 646.9 7.3 1.1 
			 Skilled metal, electrical and electronic trades 484.4 **484.9 0.5 0.1 
			 Process, plant and machine operatives 402.2 **399.9 -2.3 -0.6 
			 Teaching and educational professionals 673.2 653.5 -19.7 -2.9 
			 Business, media and public service professionals 624.2 596.0 -28.2 -4.5 
		
	
	
		
			 Business and public service associate professionals 553.9 496.9 -57.0 -10.3 
			 Science, research, engineering and technology professionals 669.2 *575.2 -94.0 -14.0 
			 Science, engineering and technology associate professionals 482.7 *412.4 -70.3 -14.6 
			 Culture, media and sports occupations *425.3 x — — 
			 Textiles, printing and other skilled trades 345.0 x — — 
			 ‘x’ = Unreliable. (1) Employees on adult rates whose pay for the survey pay-period was not affected by absence. Guide to quality: The Coefficient of Variation (CV) indicates the quality of a figure, the smaller the CV value the higher the quality. The true value is likely to lie within +/- twice the CV—for example, for an average of 200 with a CV of 5%, we would expect the population average to be within the range 180 to 220. Key: CV <= 5% * CV > 5% and<= 10% ** CV > 10% and<= 20% Source: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE), Office far National Statistics

Public Sector: Procurement

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office pursuant to the answer of 7 September 2011, Official Report, column 619W, on departmental procurement, if he will publish the Efficiency and Reform Group's analysis of procurement spend.

Francis Maude: holding answer 30 April 2012
	It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Public Sector: Procurement

Michael Dugher: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office whether his Department has assessed the Welsh Government's community benefit policy on public procurement.

Francis Maude: My Department has examined the policy to see whether there are any lessens for UK procurement.

Public Sector: Procurement

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will give consideration to requiring companies bidding for public sector contracts to comply with specified (a) social, (b) environmental and (c) ethical criteria; and if he will make a statement.

Francis Maude: Social, environmental and ethical criteria can be taken into account during the procurement process where they are non-discriminatory, represent value for money, and the factors in question are relevant to the subject matter of the contract.

Public Sector: Procurement

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will give consideration to requiring companies bidding for public sector contracts to submit their tax records for scrutiny as a part of the process; and if he will make a statement.

Francis Maude: The public procurement rules require suppliers to be excluded if they (or directors or other persons with control) have been convicted of various specific offences, which include "cheating the Revenue" and "fraudulent evasion".
	There are further grounds for exclusion, including failure to fulfil obligations related to payment of tax.

Public Sector: Procurement

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office which (a) private sector and (b) charities and third sector organisations (i) attended and (ii) were invited to his Department's briefing on 26 April 2012 on bid opportunities for Government contracts; and if he will make a statement.

Francis Maude: Representatives from the following private sector, charities and third sector organisations attended the 'Strengthening Supply Chains' event on 26 April:
	British Chambers of Commerce
	Business Services Association
	Confederation of British Industry
	Engineering Employers Federation
	Forum of Private Business
	Institute of Directors
	UK Contractors Group
	Intellect
	National Grid
	Network Rail
	BAE Systems (UK Operations)
	BT Global Services
	Capgemini
	Hewlett Packard Enterprise Services Ltd
	Serco UK & Europe
	Telereal Trillium
	Crossrail Ltd
	Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations
	Research Councils UK
	A representative of the Federation of Small Business was also invited but was unable to attend.

Sick Leave

David Ruffley: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many sick days were taken by staff in his Department in each of the last three years.

Francis Maude: The Cabinet Office absence data are published on the Cabinet Office website at:
	http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/content/absence-data

Voluntary Work: Young People

Michael Dugher: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what estimate he has made of the number of people who will participate in National Citizen Service in 2012.

Nick Hurd: I refer the hon. Member to my ministerial statement on 27 February 2012, Official Report, column 6WS.

Voluntary Work: Young People

Michael Dugher: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the cost was of each participant in the National Citizen Service in the (a) first and (b) second quarter of 2011-12.

Nick Hurd: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Banbury (Tony Baldry) on 19 March 2012, Official Report, column 530W.